strikeout

1 of 2

noun

strike·​out ˈstrīk-ˌau̇t 

: an out in baseball resulting from a batter's being charged with three strikes

strike out

2 of 2

verb

struck out; struck out also stricken out; striking out; strikes out

intransitive verb

1

: to enter upon a course of action

struck out on her own after graduating

2

: to set out vigorously

3

: to make an out in baseball by a strikeout

4

: to finish bowling a string with consecutive strikes

specifically : to bowl three strikes in the last frame

5

US, informal : fail sense 2c

6

: to try to hit suddenly

struck out wildly with his arms

—often used with at

struck out at the officers

7

: to remove (something) from a document

struck out a paragraph

transitive verb

of a baseball pitcher : to retire (someone) by a strikeout

Synonyms of strikeout

Verb

• collapse
• fail
• flop
• fold
• struggle
• miss
• fall flat
• fall short
• wash out
• bomb
• come to grief
• lay an egg

Examples of strikeout in a Sentence

Verb

their joint venture in Las Vegas struck out, and they hurriedly dissolved the partnership

struck out all references to indecent matters

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Fedde allowed eight runs on 10 hits with three strikeouts and two walks in 3 1/3 innings after entering with one out in the second following opener Bryan Hudson. —Lamond Pope, Chicago Tribune, 24 May 2026

The Angels sent 18 hitters to the plate against deGrom, who recorded all three strikeouts. —Jeff Fletcher, Oc Register, 24 May 2026

Verb

Tinsley continued her postseason dominance, striking out 11 batters in seven innings. —Matt Murschel, The Orlando Sentinel, 24 May 2026

The Angels didn’t strike out once in 23 plate appearances against the Rangers’ bullpen. —Jeff Fletcher, Oc Register, 24 May 2026

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

1887, in the meaning defined above

Verb

1707, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 1

Rhymes for strikeout

• roundabout
• runabout
• sauerkraut
• thereabout
• turnabout
• about
• bailout
• blackout
• blowout
• breakout
• burnout
• buyout

Kids Definition

strikeout

1 of 2 noun

strike·​out ˈstrī-ˌkau̇t 

: an out in baseball resulting from a batter's being charged with three strikes

strike out

2 of 2 verb

(ˈ)strī-ˈkau̇t

1

: to enter upon a course of action

struck out on my own after graduation

2

: to make an out or cause to make an out in baseball by a strikeout

the shortstop struck out

the pitcher struck him out with a curve