ENGLISH
REFERENCE

innings

n.
US //ˈɪnɪŋz// UK //ɪnnˈɪŋz// in·nings
  1. 1 cricket/sport (n.)
    B2 Upper Intermediate British English Sport

    a period in a game of cricket during which a team or a player bats.

    the division of a cricket match during which one side or an individual player takes a turn to bat. Usually takes a singular verb despite the 's' ending.

    Example

    The opening batsman played a brilliant innings and scored over a hundred runs.

    Example

    After a shaky start, the captain anchored the innings, allowing the middle order to play more expansively as the pitch dried out.

    Usage

    In British English, 'innings' is the singular form; 'inning' is the American equivalent used in baseball.
    Pitfall
    The team played a great inning.
    The team played a great innings.

    In British English and cricket, the word 'innings' is used for both singular and plural contexts.

  2. 2 period of power (n.)
    C1 Advanced British English Formal

    a period of time when a person or group is in charge or has control.

    a period of time during which a person, party, or organisation is in power or has the opportunity to achieve something.

    Example

    The prime minister had a long innings, leading the country for over a decade.

    Example

    The outgoing CEO had a successful innings, overseeing a period of unprecedented growth and technological transition for the firm.
  3. 3 a person's life (n.)
    C2 Proficiency British English Humorous

    a person's life, especially when they have lived for a long time.

    a metaphorical reference to a person's lifespan, typically used when someone dies at an advanced age.

    Example

    Grandfather was ninety-five when he died, so he certainly had a good innings.

    Example

    While the family was saddened by his passing, they took comfort in the fact that he had enjoyed a remarkably long and healthy innings.

    Teacher's tip

    This is often used as a lighthearted or euphemistic way to talk about death when the person was very old.
Origin

From the old verb inn (“to house corn”).

Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

Last updated June 19, 2026