outlet

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noun out·let \ ˈau̇t-ˌlet , -lət \

Definition of outlet

1 a :a place or opening through which something is let out :exit, vent

b :a means of release or satisfaction for an emotion or impulse

sexual outlets

c :a medium of expression or publication

d :a publication or broadcast organization

media outlets

2 :a stream flowing out of a lake or pond

3 a :a market for a commodity

b :an agency (such as a store) through which a product is marketed

retail outlets

4 :a receptacle for the plug of an electrical device

See outlet defined for English-language learners

See outlet defined for kids

Examples of outlet in a Sentence

this road is the only outlet for traffic coming from the racetrack
technology has provided many new outlets for amateur writers and artists to share their work with a global audience

Recent Examples of outlet from the Web

Watching early television Monday in Chicago, the disjoint was manifested in local television outlets whose total local audience far outpaces the three major news channels (just one show, the WGN Morning News, beats them all easily).

— The Hive, "How Silicon Valley Has Changed Hurricane Coverage," 28 Aug. 2017
But her words, which went viral after they were also published by Louisville's alternative LEO Weekly, have been quoted and shared by right-wing outlets including Breitbart, The Blaze and The Daily Wire.

— darcy costello, The Courier-Journal, "Black Lives Matter-Louisville leader gets death threats after piece addressing white people," 25 Aug. 2017
But more often than not, hate is picked up from peers, increasingly from social media and other outlets on the internet.

— dahleen glanton, chicagotribune.com, "How the seeds of hate are sown," 24 Aug. 2017
In light of this concern, the FDA visited several retail outlets in the Washington, D.C. metro area and bought and tested a variety of cosmetic products containing talc across a wide range of prices for a study that ran from 2009 to 2010.

— Health.com, "Can Using Baby Powder Down There Really Cause Cancer?," 22 Aug. 2017
And as reported by mostly all news outlets, the only rule for viewing the eclipse was to not look directly at the sun.

— sydney scott, Essence.com, "Of Course Trump Stared Directly At The Sun During The Solar Eclipse," 21 Aug. 2017
The store at 7212 W. Benton Dr. was one of only a few retail outlets devoted to selling Avon products.

— bob bong, Daily Southtown, "New sports bar and grill opens in Tinley Park," 18 Aug. 2017
Vice News, to the outlet's immense credit, was on the ground to document the events in Charlottesville this weekend.

— jack holmes, Esquire, "This Vice News Documentary from Charlottesville Is Horrifying," 15 Aug. 2017
On July 19, a surgeon in Dallas removed a small piece of rib from near Karns’ right shoulder as part of a procedure to address thoracic outlet syndrome, a neurogenic condition caused by the compression of nerves near the neck and shoulder.

— rustin dodd, kansascity, "Doctor gives Royals pitcher Nathan Karns a surgery souvenir: A piece of his rib," 7 Aug. 2017

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

Origin and Etymology of outlet

Middle English ut-lete, from ut out + -lete watercourse, from Old English gelǣt, from lǣtan to let

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 13th century

See Words from the same year

outlet Synonyms

Synonyms

egress, issue, exit

Antonyms

entrance, entranceway, entry, entryway, ingress

Related Words

escape, escape hatch, release; gate, mouth, opening, passage, vent

Near Antonyms

access, entrée (or entree)

Other Business Terms

amortize, caveat emptor, clearinghouse, divest, due diligence, emolument, green-collar, marque, overhead, perquisite

OUTLET Defined for English Language Learners

outlet

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noun

Definition of outlet for English Language Learners

: something that people use to express their emotions or talents
: a store that sells products made usually by one company and often at reduced prices
: a television, radio, or publishing company

OUTLET Defined for Kids

outlet

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noun out·let \ ˈau̇t-ˌlet \

Definition of outlet for Students

1 :a place or opening for letting something out

The lake has several outlets.

2 :a way of releasing or expressing a feeling or impulse

I needed an outlet for my anger.

3 :a device (as in a wall) into which the prongs of an electrical plug are inserted for making connection with an electrical circuit

Medical Dictionary

outlet

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noun out·let \ ˈau̇t-ˌlet, -lət \

medical Definition of outlet

1 :an opening or a place through which something is let out

the pelvic outlet

2 :a means of release or satisfaction for an emotion or impulse

counseling provides an outlet for expressing and evaluating their feelings
—Vicki Glaser

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See words that rhyme with outlet Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for outlet Spanish Central: Translation of outlet Nglish: Translation of outlet for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of outlet for Arabic speakers

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OUTLET Defined for English Language Learners

outlet

Definition of outlet for English Language Learners

OUTLET Defined for Kids

outlet

Definition of outlet for Students

Medical Dictionary

outlet

medical Definition of outlet

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