inning

noun

in·​ning ˈi-niŋ 

1

a

: a division of a baseball game consisting of a turn at bat for each team

also : a baseball team's turn at bat ending with the third out

b

innings ˈi-niŋz  plural in form but singular or plural in construction : a division of a cricket match

c

: a player's turn (as in horseshoes, pool, or croquet)

2

: a chance or opportunity for action or accomplishment

—usually used in plural but singular or plural in construction

… that momentous innings … which was to project him into world politics …

—The Times Literary Supplement (London)

Examples of inning in a Sentence

She hit a double in the fourth inning.

Recent Examples on the Web

After the Arizona lineup turned over and Sheehan retired Ketel Marte and Carroll to get out of the inning, Roberts stuck with the right-hander against switch-hitting Geraldo Perdomo and right-handed Nolan Arenado in the seventh. —Maddie Lee, Los Angeles Times, 2 June 2026

The Yankees’ first 12 batters reached base in the inning, tying the longest streak in MLB since 1961, according to the YES Network. —Brendan Kuty, New York Times, 1 June 2026

Reds shortstop Elly De La Cruz left the game in the fifth inning with right hamstring tightness after hitting a single and pulling up at first base. —CBS News, 1 June 2026

The Sooners, who finished 11th in the SEC standings, led Georgia Tech 3-0 after one inning, but the Yellow Jackets scored two in the third and fifth and three in the sixth to grab the four-run lead. —Gary Bedore, Kansas City Star, 1 June 2026

Word History

Etymology

in entry 2 + -ing entry 1

First Known Use

1735, in the meaning defined at sense 1b

Phrases Containing inning

• the seventh-inning stretch

Rhymes for inning

• binning
• dinning
• ginning
• grinning
• pinning
• sinning
• skinning
• spinning
• thinning
• tinning
• twinning
• winning

Kids Definition

inning

noun

in·​ning ˈin-iŋ 

: a division of a baseball game consisting of a turn at bat for each team

also : a baseball team's turn at bat