outset

noun

out·​set ˈau̇t-ˌset How to pronounce outset (audio)

Examples of outset in a Sentence

There have been problems with the project from the outset. From its very outset, the company has produced the highest quality products. He made it clear at the outset that he is not going to quit his job. She set high goals for herself at the outset of her career.
Recent Examples on the Web At the outset, Altman and Brockman planned to raise $100 million, OpenAI said, but Musk objected, saying the number should be higher. Rachel Metz, Fortune, 6 Mar. 2024 Turns out, Choudhury misdirected us from the outset, hiding information the characters know in order to make her point. Peter Debruge, Variety, 4 Mar. 2024 At the outset of their search, Xia and colleagues suspected that the apes shed their tails through the mutation of specific genes. Sam Walters, Discover Magazine, 4 Mar. 2024 Waiting out every other top position player on the market, the contract negotiated by his agent, Scott Boras, was considerably smaller than what was projected at the outset of the offseason. Evan Webeck, The Mercury News, 1 Mar. 2024 At the outset of the current conflict, the SAF was better armed than the RSF, and the Sudanese civil war could not have lasted this long without the UAE’s assistance to the RSF. John Prendergast, Foreign Affairs, 27 Feb. 2024 In a sad sign of the times, a moment of silence was observed at the outset of the evening to acknowledge the shooting that happened across the street at last week’s Super Bowl victory celebration event in Kansas City. Paul Grein, Billboard, 23 Feb. 2024 Being sharp and crisp at the outset even after two wins was out of the question following a nightmarish six-hour wait to depart New York and get to Toronto for the Warriors’ second game in two nights and third on the road trip. Jerry McDonald, The Mercury News, 2 Mar. 2024 Furthermore, business leaders must recognize the importance of supporting new franchise owners from the outset. Gigi Schweikert, Forbes, 1 Mar. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'outset.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1759, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of outset was in 1759

Dictionary Entries Near outset

Cite this Entry

“Outset.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/outset. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

outset

noun
out·​set ˈau̇t-ˌset How to pronounce outset (audio)

More from Merriam-Webster on outset

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