outage

noun

out·​age ˈau̇-tij How to pronounce outage (audio)
1
: a quantity or bulk of something lost in transportation or storage
2
a
: a failure or interruption in use or functioning
b
: a period of interruption especially of electric current

Examples of outage in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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The force of water can cause numerous issues, such as bending air conditioner coils and causing short circuits or power outages. Mary Cornetta, Better Homes & Gardens, 29 June 2025 Power outages and water shortages are frequent, and inflation has made basic goods inaccessible to much of the population. Antonio Maria Delgado, Miami Herald, 28 June 2025 American Airlines suffered a widespread outage with its flight information computer system, authorities with two affected airports told CNN. Alexandra Skores, CNN Money, 27 June 2025 The funding notice underscored the need for U.S. facilities to provide critical societal and economic services during infrequent high-impact events that may cause electricity grid outages. Noël Fletcher, Forbes.com, 27 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for outage

Word History

First Known Use

1851, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of outage was in 1851

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Cite this Entry

“Outage.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/outage. Accessed 4 Jul. 2025.

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