outset

noun

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

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
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.
And then from the outset, other people were involved. Sarah Shachat, IndieWire, 29 Apr. 2026 Moore sounds beleaguered at the outset, which makes the next 20 minutes particularly fraught and precarious. Stephen M. Deusner, Pitchfork, 27 Apr. 2026 Crucially, it is designed so that the perspectives of farmers and frontline communities inform policy from the outset. Carlos Alvarado Quesada, Fortune, 27 Apr. 2026 The owners wanted a home that opened fully to the landscape, and the firm leaned into that idea from the outset. Abby Montanez, Robb Report, 23 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for outset

Word History

First Known Use

1759, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of outset was in 1759

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Cite this Entry

“Outset.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/outset. Accessed 1 May. 2026.

Kids Definition

outset

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

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