What does outage mean?
An outage is a temporary interruption in a service or the operation of a system. The expression is especially familiar from “power outage,” an event in which electrical supply is interrupted, but it can also describe a failure or unavailability affecting internet, telephone, transport, industrial, or public services. Outages may result from accidents, severe weather, equipment faults, network problems, or planned maintenance. In technical and news reporting, the word conveys that normal service has stopped, without necessarily implying permanent damage. It is often paired with qualifiers such as “power,” “network,” “service,” and “scheduled,” helping distinguish the kind and expected duration of the interruption. As a countable noun, “outage” can refer to either a single event or, in the plural, widespread disruption experienced by many users or households.
nounA temporary interruption in the supply of electricity or in the operation of a service, system, or facility. An outage may be caused by equipment failure, damage, planned maintenance, or other circumstances.
- A temporary interruption in the supply of electricity or other services.
- A period during which a system, network, facility, or service is unavailable or unable to operate normally.
"A storm caused a widespread power outage across the region."
"Engineers repaired the damaged cable and ended the outage."
"The museum announced a scheduled outage of its online ticket system during the holiday weekend."
Use “outages” for separate service interruptions or when referring to multiple instances of disruption.
"Several outages affected the railway network during the week."
An outage is when a service goes “out”—whether that means electricity, internet, transport, or something else essential.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does outage come from?
Outage is an English compound formed from the prefix out and the suffix age. Its specialized sense developed through extensions of the idea of something being temporarily “out” or unavailable, particularly during interruptions to electrical service. The prefix out and related forms such as outside and outward ultimately derive from the same Germanic and Indo-European roots.
How outage is actually used
Generally formal or technical. The word is widely used in news and operational contexts, especially for failures affecting electricity, telecommunications, transport, or computer systems; it is countable and commonly used in the plural.
Easily confused with outage
An outage can interrupt almost any public or private service, whereas a blackout usually refers specifically to a failure or deliberate interruption of electrical lighting or power.