outpost
noun
out·post
ˈau̇t-ˌpōst 
1
a
: a security detachment dispatched by a main body of troops to protect it from enemy surprise
b
: a military base established by treaty or agreement in another country
2
a
: an outlying or frontier settlement
b
: an outlying branch or position of a main organization or group
Examples of outpost in a Sentence
an American outpost in Africa
The city was established as a military outpost in the 1800s.
a remote outpost of the old British Empire
Recent Examples on the Web
Several commercial outfits have recently announced big funding influxes aimed at speeding up the development and launch of new orbiting outposts.
—
Jackie Wattles, CNN Money, 21 Mar. 2026
Hark back, for instance, to Austin’s miserable decades as a frontier outpost with few creature comforts before the Civil War.
—Michael Barnes, Austin American Statesman, 20 Mar. 2026
Over the last three decades, Weiss has directly helped establish dozens of Israeli outposts – settlements in the West Bank built without legal authorization.
—Rafa Sales Ross, Variety, 19 Mar. 2026
From a thriving artisanal craft tradition to a slate of luxury hospitality openings, Mallorca has a lot to offer these days to debunk its onetime reputation as a bland resort outpost.
—Elly Leavitt, Vogue, 18 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for outpost
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.
Jackie Wattles, CNN Money, 21 Mar. 2026
Hark back, for instance, to Austin’s miserable decades as a frontier outpost with few creature comforts before the Civil War.
—Michael Barnes, Austin American Statesman, 20 Mar. 2026
Over the last three decades, Weiss has directly helped establish dozens of Israeli outposts – settlements in the West Bank built without legal authorization.
—Rafa Sales Ross, Variety, 19 Mar. 2026
From a thriving artisanal craft tradition to a slate of luxury hospitality openings, Mallorca has a lot to offer these days to debunk its onetime reputation as a bland resort outpost.
—Elly Leavitt, Vogue, 18 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for outpost
Cite this Entry
“Outpost.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/outpost. Accessed 26 Mar. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
outpost
noun
out·post
ˈau̇t-ˌpōst
1
: a guard stationed at a distance from a military force or camp
2
: the position occupied by an outpost
3
: a settlement on a frontier or in a faraway place
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
