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

In Game 7, the Dodgers were down to their last outs until an unlikely number two hitter launched a home run in the top of the 11th inning. —Allen Buchanan, Oc Register, 8 Nov. 2025

In a May 1966 game against the California Angels, Hargan entered a 4-4 game in the seventh inning, having pitched two innings the day before. —Jon Paul Hoornstra, MSNBC Newsweek, 8 Nov. 2025

Outside of a few ironic comments, there was effectively no talk about bets or spreads or parlays throughout the entire eleven innings. —Jay Caspian Kang, New Yorker, 7 Nov. 2025

The Dodgers became the first team to win back-to-back Fall Classics since the New York Yankees won three straight from 1998 to 2000 after completing a Game 7 comeback against the Toronto Blue Jays in 11 innings. —Ryan Morik, FOXNews.com, 5 Nov. 2025

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