outsourced; outsourcing; outsources

transitive + intransitive

: to procure (something, such as some goods or services needed by a business or organization) from outside sources and especially from foreign or nonunion suppliers : to contract for work, jobs, etc., to be done by outside or foreign workers
decided to outsource some back-office operations
Some services and aspects of production were outsourced to cut costs.
Firms outsource to capitalize on their strengths while minimizing business activities that are not core functions.John K. Borchardt
compare insource

Examples of outsource in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
But instead of discussing actual fixes, a Senate hearing focused on whether to outsource the painful debate to come. Steve Thompson, Washington Post, 5 Aug. 2026 This is very different to when corporations outsource (the case of Boeing being one of the most studied by researchers). New Atlas, 4 Aug. 2026 Travel, luxury, healthcare, financial services and major life decisions involve trade-offs that people aren't ready to outsource entirely. Dani Mariano, Forbes.com, 4 Aug. 2026 Verghese isn’t arguing for companies to outsource their judgment to AI. William Jones, USA Today, 3 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for outsource

Word History

First Known Use

1979, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of outsource was in 1979

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Cite this Entry

“Outsource.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/outsource. Accessed 7 Aug. 2026.

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