outage

play

noun out·age \ˈau̇-tij\

Definition of outage

1 : a quantity or bulk of something lost in transportation or storage
2a : a failure or interruption in use or functioningb : a period of interruption especially of electric current

See outage defined for English-language learners

Recent Examples of outage from the Web

Strong winds caused numerous power outages, and severe flooding occurred with 5-inch rainfall totals.

— tom skilling, chicagotribune.com, "ASK TOM: What was Chicago's July 1980 heat wave like?", 2 July 2017
Tropical storms add complications above and beyond rainfall: Power outages can knock out sewer stations, weather conditions can keep repair crews from addressing problems and storm surges pose an additional risk of contamination.

— lawrence specker, AL.com, "Cindy's rains cause major sewage overflows in Mobile area", 23 June 2017
In case of a power outage, have another way to charge your phone like an extra battery, car charger or device-charging accessory.

— carmen gonzalez caldwell, miamiherald, "These hurricane cellphone tips can help you, your family when disaster strikes", 22 June 2017
What might be even more surprising is the political reasoning for this service outage.

— suzannah weiss, Glamour, "PornHub Is Going Dark on July 12 to Promote Net Neutrality", 22 June 2017
People are advised to travel only when necessary as roads and bridges are dangerous with flooding and power outages.

— jonece starr dunigan, AL.com, "Burning smell prompts plane to land at Selma airport, 2 injured", 21 June 2017
With airlines suffering a string of public relations’ embarrassments recently — from the United Airlines’ passenger getting dragged off a flight to British Airways’ massive outage — the aerospace industry is eager to show off its goods.

— john leicester, The Seattle Times, "If it flies or hovers, it will be at the Paris Air Show", 17 June 2017
Regulators press companies to step up tree-trimming practices to reduce power outages caused by falling limbs, but customers often push back about aggressive and unsightly pruning methods.

— andrew maykuth, Philly.com, "Into the weeds: PUC blocks utility from using herbicides near a home", 15 June 2017
That could create outages in different areas at the same time.

— ellen nakashima, chicagotribune.com, "This Russian cyber weapon could wreak havoc on U.S. power grids, new research says", 12 June 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'outage'. Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.