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
He was called upon in Game 4 of the 1953 World Series against the Dodgers, entering in the seventh inning to face Jackie Robinson, Gil Hodges, Roy Campanella, Duke Snider and Carl Furillo.
—Steve Henson, Los Angeles Times, 26 Apr. 2024
Bentonville pitcher Ryann Sanders allowed 2 runs on 7 hits over 7 innings, while striking out 4 and walking 1.
—Paul Boyd, arkansasonline.com, 26 Apr. 2024
The San Mateo school put a run on the board in the first inning, but blew the game open in the second.
—Nathan Canilao, The Mercury News, 25 Apr. 2024
Next, Schreiber worked the seventh inning and McArthur closed it out.
—Jaylon Thompson, Kansas City Star, 24 Apr. 2024
McGowan did some of her best work in the first inning.
—Don Norcross, San Diego Union-Tribune, 24 Apr. 2024
Perhaps the tale of the series for Miami was the top of the ninth and 10th innings on Wednesday.
—Rick Farlow, Miami Herald, 24 Apr. 2024
Kepler came through in his first at-bat on Monday against the Chicago White Sox, driving in a pair of runs in the first inning with a double to right-center.
—Dean Spiros, Twin Cities, 23 Apr. 2024
Roberts pointed to the team’s improved defense, even though the Padres tied the game at 3-3 in the sixth inning on a throwing error by Betts, the former right fielder and second baseman who is now playing shortstop.
—Dylan Hernández, Los Angeles Times, 15 Apr. 2024
Steve Henson, Los Angeles Times, 26 Apr. 2024
Bentonville pitcher Ryann Sanders allowed 2 runs on 7 hits over 7 innings, while striking out 4 and walking 1.
—Paul Boyd, arkansasonline.com, 26 Apr. 2024
The San Mateo school put a run on the board in the first inning, but blew the game open in the second.
—Nathan Canilao, The Mercury News, 25 Apr. 2024
Next, Schreiber worked the seventh inning and McArthur closed it out.
—Jaylon Thompson, Kansas City Star, 24 Apr. 2024
McGowan did some of her best work in the first inning.
—Don Norcross, San Diego Union-Tribune, 24 Apr. 2024
Perhaps the tale of the series for Miami was the top of the ninth and 10th innings on Wednesday.
—Rick Farlow, Miami Herald, 24 Apr. 2024
Kepler came through in his first at-bat on Monday against the Chicago White Sox, driving in a pair of runs in the first inning with a double to right-center.
—Dean Spiros, Twin Cities, 23 Apr. 2024
Roberts pointed to the team’s improved defense, even though the Padres tied the game at 3-3 in the sixth inning on a throwing error by Betts, the former right fielder and second baseman who is now playing shortstop.
—Dylan Hernández, Los Angeles Times, 15 Apr. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'inning.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
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Cite this Entry
“Inning.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/inning. Accessed 2 May. 2024.
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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