Meaning & use
outbounds
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Meanings
nounpluraltechnicalbusiness
goods or shipments that are being sent out from a place, especially from a warehouse or port.
Grammar: Used as a plural noun: the outbounds are ready. It often appears in phrases like 'inbounds and outbounds'.
Patterns
- the outbounds
- inbounds and outbounds
The warehouse team checks the outbounds every morning before the trucks arrive.
All outbounds must be scanned and labeled before they leave the facility.
The manager compared the inbounds and outbounds to see how much stock was moving.
nounpluraltechnicalbusiness
outgoing messages or calls, especially in a call center or communication system.
Grammar: Common in business and IT contexts; often contrasted with 'inbounds' (incoming messages or calls).
Patterns
- the outbounds
- outbounds and inbounds
The call center tracks outbounds separately from incoming calls.
Our email system marks outbounds with a special tag.
The team handles outbounds in the morning and inbounds in the afternoon.
Common combinations
- inbounds and outbounds
- The report lists both inbounds and outbounds for the week.
- handle outbounds
- She handles outbounds for the shipping department.
- track outbounds
- The software helps us track outbounds in real time.
- outbounds team
- The outbounds team loads the trucks at night.
Synonyms and how they differ
- outbound shipments
- More common in everyday business English; 'outbounds' is a shorter, more technical term.
- outgoing
- An adjective meaning leaving a place; 'outbounds' is a noun for the things themselves.
Opposites
Word family
- outbound adjective
- Going away from a place, as in 'outbound flights'.
Commonly confused: outbounds or outbound?
outbounds vs outbound
This is the adjective or singular form; 'outbounds' is the plural noun for the goods or messages themselves.
Practice
The logistics manager said, 'We need to check all ______ before they leave the warehouse.'
Choose one answer.
'Outbounds' is the plural noun for goods being sent out. 'Outbound' is an adjective and would need a noun after it, like 'outbound shipments'.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “outbounds”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.