Word
outage
Phoneticsout·age, stress on the first syllable
US/ˈaʊtədʒ/
UK/ˈaʊtɪdʒ/
Countable noun
Definition
n. a period of time when a service is not working. This usually refers to things like electricity, the internet, or water.
n. a period during which a power supply or other public service is unavailable. Refers to a temporary suspension of utility or network operations.
Examples
“The storm caused a major power outage in our neighborhood.”
“The bank apologized for the website outage that prevented customers from accessing their accounts all morning.”
“Engineers worked through the night to identify the software bug responsible for the global server outage that disrupted international communications for several hours.”
Examples
simple
“The storm caused a major power outage in our neighborhood.”
contextual
“The bank apologized for the website outage that prevented customers from accessing their accounts all morning.”
complex
“Engineers worked through the night to identify the software bug responsible for the global server outage that disrupted international communications for several hours.”
Usage
Often paired with descriptive nouns like 'power', 'internet', or 'network'.
Real-World Examples
“Organisers hope to screen more Sudanese films, but they say power outages remain a major challenge.” “The paper writes that the outage had "no impact on the UK's wider power supply".” Etymology
From out + -age, on the model of shortage.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Related words
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.B2 FirstIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.5.5–6.5TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 4.0–4.572–94TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.785–944
- Frequency
- Frequent
- Level
- B2 · Upper Intermediate
- Updated
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