outpost

noun

out·​post ˈau̇t-ˌpōst How to pronounce outpost (audio)
Synonyms of outpostnext
1
a
: a security detachment dispatched by a main body of troops to protect it from enemy surprise
b
: a military base established by treaty or agreement in another country
2
a
: an outlying or frontier settlement
b
: an outlying branch or position of a main organization or group

Examples of outpost in a Sentence

an American outpost in Africa The city was established as a military outpost in the 1800s. a remote outpost of the old British Empire
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.
The lunar eclipse also may be visible to Hathaway and the nine other people living off the planet — seven astronauts at the International Space Station and three aboard China’s orbiting outpost. — Marcia Dunn, Los Angeles Times, 25 Aug. 2026 And that’s probably going to be an extra big problem when people are cooped up at a remote mining outpost. — Sergio Pereira, Space.com, 24 Aug. 2026 While Russia retains a presence, the era of it operating these as independent military outposts is over. — Paul Iddon, Forbes.com, 23 Aug. 2026 But my four nights at the Ranch Hudson Valley, the East Coast outpost of the Malibu favorite, reveal that this is neither austere boot camp nor cutting-edge wellness clinic. — Johanna Wolfe, Robb Report, 22 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for outpost

Word History

First Known Use

1720, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of outpost was in 1720

Rhymes for outpost

See All Rhymes for outpost

Browse Nearby Words

outporter
outpost
outpour
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Cite this Entry

“Outpost.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/outpost. Accessed 1 Sep. 2026.

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Kids Definition

outpost

noun
out·​post ˈau̇t-ˌpōst How to pronounce outpost (audio)
1
: a guard stationed at a distance from a military force or camp
2
: the position occupied by an outpost
3
: a settlement on a frontier or in a faraway place

More from Merriam-Webster on outpost

Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for outpost

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