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
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)
The Times Literary Supplement (London)Examples of inning in a Sentence
She hit a double in the fourth inning.
Recent Examples on the Web
Ernie Clement flew out to end the inning, and the Dodgers won it all in the 11th.
—Gabrielle Starr, Boston Herald, 11 Feb. 2026
The Padres went from having four relievers to cover three or four innings to having three, giving manager Mike Shildt fewer options to deploy each game and over a series of games.
—Kevin Acee, San Diego Union-Tribune, 11 Feb. 2026
Back then, the average team still featured three starters who threw enough innings to qualify for the ERA title, probably had an ace who blew past 200 innings and had multiple pitchers with double-digit wins.
—Jayson Stark, New York Times, 10 Feb. 2026
After teammate Cory Thiesse—you’re free to address them as Girl Cory and Boy Korey—delivered the game-winning shot in the eighth and final end, a sort of curling version of an inning, Dropkin pumped his fists, and waved his arms up to the crowd at the Cortina Curling Olympic Stadium.
—Sean Gregory, Time, 10 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for inning
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Gabrielle Starr, Boston Herald, 11 Feb. 2026
The Padres went from having four relievers to cover three or four innings to having three, giving manager Mike Shildt fewer options to deploy each game and over a series of games.
—Kevin Acee, San Diego Union-Tribune, 11 Feb. 2026
Back then, the average team still featured three starters who threw enough innings to qualify for the ERA title, probably had an ace who blew past 200 innings and had multiple pitchers with double-digit wins.
—Jayson Stark, New York Times, 10 Feb. 2026
After teammate Cory Thiesse—you’re free to address them as Girl Cory and Boy Korey—delivered the game-winning shot in the eighth and final end, a sort of curling version of an inning, Dropkin pumped his fists, and waved his arms up to the crowd at the Cortina Curling Olympic Stadium.
—Sean Gregory, Time, 10 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for inning
Cite this Entry
“Inning.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/inning. Accessed 14 Feb. 2026.
Copy CitationKids 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
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