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

Cal Quantrill has been a below-average innings eater for them this season, posting a 5.24 ERA over 19 starts and 87 2/3 innings. —Daniel R. Epstein, Forbes.com, 25 July 2025

They were coupled with low lows — a six-run inning and grand slam given up by Jesús Luzardo on Wednesday, struggles with runners in scoring position at times. —Charlotte Varnes, New York Times, 25 July 2025

On Friday, Guilford scored its only run in the third inning, when Addy Pradith walked with two outs, advanced to second on a passed ball and came home on a single by Michaela Mascari. —Lori Riley, Hartford Courant, 25 July 2025

Defensively, Narvaez has been even better, with a DRS total of 15 that leads all catchers in the big leagues (again, with at least 100 innings caught). —Jon Vankin, MSNBC Newsweek, 25 July 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