outsource

verb

out·​source ˈau̇t-ˌsȯrs 

outsourced; outsourcing; outsources

transitive + intransitive

: to procure (something, such as some goods or services needed by a business or organization) from outside sources and especially from foreign or nonunion suppliers : to contract for work, jobs, etc., to be done by outside or foreign workers

decided to outsource some back-office operations

Some services and aspects of production were outsourced to cut costs.

Firms outsource to capitalize on their strengths while minimizing business activities that are not core functions.

—John K. Borchardt

compare insource

Examples of outsource in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Leaders often unintentionally outsource their stress to the organization. —Gerald J. Leonard, Forbes.com, 19 June 2026

According to union leaders, the CSU has already attempted to outsource some faculty work to AI agents. —Tarini Mehta, Sacbee.com, 18 June 2026

Over the past year, the Education Department has initiated more than a half dozen partnerships with other federal agencies, including the Labor and Interior Departments, to outsource much of its work. —Zachary Schermele, USA Today, 16 June 2026

Consumers are also adopting the tech to outsource administrative tasks. —Megan Cerullo, CBS News, 4 June 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1979, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for outsource

• concourse
• divorce
• endorse
• enforce
• indorse
• midcourse
• perforce
• racehorse
• remorse
• seahorse
• workforce
• workhorse