outgoing

adjective

out·​go·​ing ˈau̇t-ˌgō-iŋ 

-ˌgȯ(-)iŋ

1

a

: going away : departing

an outgoing ship

b

: retiring or withdrawing from a place or position

the outgoing president

c

: directed to an intended recipient

outgoing mail

2

: openly friendly and responsive : extroverted

His outgoing personality made him popular at school.

outgoingness noun

Synonyms of outgoing

• social
• friendly
• hospitable
• extroverted
• gregarious
• spirited

Examples of outgoing in a Sentence

Outgoing mail goes in this box.

a salesman whose aggressively outgoing personality could sometimes be overbearing

Recent Examples on the Web

The man known for playing with his heart on his sleeve joins a defensive-minded head coach in a city known for its legendarily outgoing defensive stars. —Devon Henderson, New York Times, 8 Mar. 2026

Lee Cowan sits down with Claire Babineaux-Fontenot, the outgoing CEO of the nation's largest hunger relief organization, Feeding America, for a reality check about hunger in these United States. —CBS News, 6 Mar. 2026

Parker also used time in her speech to recognize outgoing Fort Worth school district Superintendent Karen Molinar and former Mayor Pro Tem Gyna Bivens, who died in February. —Harrison Mantas, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 6 Mar. 2026

One at 11700 Olio Road in Fishers is marked for an April 4 closure, according to an outgoing message. —Cheryl V. Jackson, IndyStar, 5 Mar. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Rhymes for outgoing

• bestowing
• churchgoing
• elbowing
• fallowing
• farrowing
• foregoing
• forgoing
• ongoing
• outflowing
• outgrowing
• seagoing
• tiptoeing

Kids Definition

outgoing

adjective

out·​go·​ing ˈau̇t-ˌgō-iŋ 

1

a

: going out : departing

outgoing tide

b

: retiring from a position

the outgoing governor

2

: being at ease and friendly when dealing with others

an outgoing person