outpost

noun

out·​post ˈau̇t-ˌpōst 

1

a

: a security detachment dispatched by a main body of troops to protect it from enemy surprise

b

: a military base established by treaty or agreement in another country

2

a

: an outlying or frontier settlement

b

: an outlying branch or position of a main organization or group

Examples of outpost in a Sentence

an American outpost in Africa

The city was established as a military outpost in the 1800s.

a remote outpost of the old British Empire

Recent Examples on the Web

The rooftop bar looks over Hyde Park, lending a welcome (and rather rare) sense of openness in central London, while ABC Kitchen—the London outpost of the New York restaurant famed for its crab toast—brings in a high-flying food crowd. — Katharine Sohn, Architectural Digest, 2 Oct. 2026

The gallery effectively shut down the Bushwick outpost in 2021, selling the building to Rashid Johnson for $8 million—a profit of $6 million—in 2024. — News Desk, Artforum, 2 Oct. 2026

Save room on Monday, Wednesday or Friday for the chef’s table at Sokasi, a small wooden eight-seat outpost where traditional Balinese feasts are cooked right in front of you on a grill. — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 1 Oct. 2026

The Iraqi military has said Turkey maintains five major bases and almost 100 smaller outposts in Iraq. — Jane Arraf, NPR, 30 Sep. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1720, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Rhymes for outpost

• almost
• engrossed
• foremost
• hindmost
• impost
• inmost
• lamppost
• leftmost
• necrosed
• pancoast
• rightmost
• riposte

Kids Definition

outpost

noun

out·​post ˈau̇t-ˌpōst 

1

: a guard stationed at a distance from a military force or camp

2

: the position occupied by an outpost

3

: a settlement on a frontier or in a faraway place