inning

noun

in·​ning ˈi-niŋ 

1

a

: a division of a baseball game consisting of a turn at bat for each team

also : a baseball team's turn at bat ending with the third out

b

innings ˈi-niŋz  plural in form but singular or plural in construction : a division of a cricket match

c

: a player's turn (as in horseshoes, pool, or croquet)

2

: a chance or opportunity for action or accomplishment

—usually used in plural but singular or plural in construction

that momentous innings which was to project him into world politics

—The Times Literary Supplement (London)

Examples of inning in a Sentence

She hit a double in the fourth inning.

Recent Examples on the Web

Jackson Lyons’ Granada Hills High jersey was covered in dirt from a head-first slide in the fifth inning after his two-run triple gave the Highlanders the lead against Birmingham on Thursday. —Eric Sondheimer, Los Angeles Times, 10 May 2024

He was followed by right-hander George Soriano, who met a similar fate by allowing four runs over three innings. —Miami Herald, 8 May 2024

Word History

Etymology

in entry 2 + -ing entry 1

First Known Use

1735, in the meaning defined at sense 1b

Phrases Containing inning

• the seventh-inning stretch

Kids Definition

inning

noun

in·​ning ˈin-iŋ 

: a division of a baseball game consisting of a turn at bat for each team

also : a baseball team's turn at bat