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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
After a soggy afternoon and a downtown power outage, the game started an hour late with a first-pitch temperature of 38 degrees and finished in hard rain. CBS News, 4 Apr. 2026 But in August 2020, California limped through two consecutive days of blackouts, with some parts of the state experiencing outages lasting as long as 2 1/2 hours. Rob Nikolewski, San Diego Union-Tribune, 3 Apr. 2026 Hours later, those fans sat bundled up in rainy, chilly conditions as a power outage hit parts of downtown Minneapolis, affecting Target Field. Betsy Helfand, Twin Cities, 3 Apr. 2026 From fines to seizures When landlords refuse to address a serious violation, like heat or hot water outages, the city can step in and order repairs, then bill the owner directly. Jake Offenhartz, Chicago Tribune, 3 Apr. 2026 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 5 Apr. 2026.

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