# inning

/ˈɪnɪŋ/ (US) · /ˈɪnɪŋ/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/inning
Updated: 2026-06-20

## Senses

### 3. a period of opportunity

noun · CEFR C1 · Informal

a period of time when someone has the chance to do something or be in control.

For teachers: a figurative period of power, opportunity, or activity, often used to describe a person's career or life span.

- He had a good long inning as the company director before he finally retired.
- After a successful twenty-year inning in the fashion industry, she decided to sell her brand and pursue a career in landscape architecture.

Usage: Often used in the phrase 'a long inning' or 'to have one's innings'.

### 4. harvesting

noun · CEFR C2 · Archaic

the act of gathering in a crop from the fields.

For teachers: the gathering or bringing in of a harvest. This sense is largely restricted to historical or regional agricultural contexts.

- The farmers worked through the night to complete the inning of the wheat before the storm.
- The records from the manor show a particularly bountiful inning that autumn, ensuring the village had enough grain for the winter months.

## Examples

- The home team scored three runs in the first inning.
- The pitcher was replaced after the fifth inning because he had already thrown over ninety pitches.
- As the game stretched into the tenth inning, the tension in the stadium became palpable, with every spectator aware that a single mistake could end the season.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.