English Reference
noun

outcome

n.
US /ˈaʊtˌkəm/ UK /ˈaʊtkʌm/ out·come UK spelling outcome's, outcome's

  1. 01 B2 Upper Intermediate General-service

    the final result or effect of something that has happened.

    the end result or consequence of an event, process, or series of actions.

    Simple

    The outcome of the election was a surprise to everyone in the country.

    In context

    Economists are closely monitoring the situation, though the final outcome of the trade negotiations remains highly uncertain.

  2. 02 C1 Advanced AcademicFormal Education

    the specific things a student is expected to know or do after a course.

    the anticipated or desired results of a learning experience, often used to measure educational effectiveness.

    Simple

    The teacher explained the learning outcomes at the start of the lesson.

    In context

    The university redesigned the curriculum to ensure that every module aligned with the core professional outcomes required by the industry.

  3. 03 B2 Upper Intermediate Technical Math

    one of the possible results of a test or experiment.

    a possible result of a random trial or experiment within a sample space.

    Simple

    When you flip a coin, there are only two possible outcomes.

    In context

    The researcher calculated the probability of each individual outcome before proceeding with the large-scale clinical trial.

  4. 04 B2 Upper Intermediate Sport

    the final score or result of a game.

    the final scoreline or definitive result of a sporting competition.

    Simple

    The outcome of the match was a draw, so they had to play again.

    In context

    Despite a strong start by the home team, the eventual outcome of the tournament was decided by a single penalty in the final minutes.

Usage outcomes of an investigation · actual outcome · briefly outcome

He stressed that the state would not organise the process or determine its agenda or outcomes.

Al Jazeera· 15 Aug 2026

Second is the outcome, such as whether you get sick or your symptoms improve.

The Conversation· 4 Aug 2026

From out + come.

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

This entry
Level B2 · Upper Intermediate
Frequency Common
Updated