outage

noun

out·​age ˈau̇-tij How to pronounce outage (audio)
1
: a quantity or bulk of something lost in transportation or storage
2
a
: a failure or interruption in use or functioning
b
: a period of interruption especially of electric current

Examples of outage in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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.
At least 20,000 power outages have been reported in the county, according to USA TODAY's outage tracker. — Dinah Voyles Pulver, USA Today, 2 Sep. 2026 Tropical storm-force wind gusts capable of causing spotty power outages are also possible along the coast from the potential storm’s most intense bands of rain. — Chris Dolce, CNN Money, 31 Aug. 2026 Tankers are waiting up to 30 days to load crude oil cargoes from Venezuela due to challenges with aging infrastructure and power outages that impacted its ports, the analyst said. — Spencer Kimball, CNBC, 31 Aug. 2026 Local officials are pushing for more answers about mass power outages and recovery from the Northern Indiana Public Service Company. — Maya Wilkins, Chicago Tribune, 31 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for outage

Word History

First Known Use

1851, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of outage was in 1851

Browse Nearby Words

outact
outage
out and about
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Outage.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/outage. Accessed 5 Sep. 2026.

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