What this usually means
A dead outlet with the rest of the house working usually points to one of four things: a tripped GFCI protecting it from elsewhere, a tripped breaker, a failed device, or a loose connection in the circuit. The last of those can generate heat, so a dead outlet is worth resolving rather than working around.
The common causes
An electrician works through 6 conditions that all produce has an outlet stopped working. They are listed so you can describe what you are seeing accurately — not so you can decide which one applies, because several of them look identical from outside the equipment.
- Upstream GFCI tripped — One GFCI can protect several ordinary outlets, often in another room, a garage, a bathroom or outdoors.
- Tripped breaker — The circuit breaker has opened, sometimes without looking obviously out of position.
- Failed receptacle — Contacts wear out, particularly on outlets used for heavy loads or frequently unplugged items.
- Loose or back-stabbed connection — A connection that has loosened can arc and heat. This is the failure mode that matters most.
- Switched outlet — Some outlets are controlled by a wall switch and are simply off.
- Damaged conductor — Cable damage from a fixing, rodents, water or previous work anywhere along the run.
What to note before you call
For this symptom specifically, 5 observations do most of the work. All of them can be noted without opening any electrical equipment. Having them ready turns a vague call into a productive one and shortens the diagnostic visit.
- Whether other outlets nearby also stopped
- Whether a GFCI anywhere in the home has tripped
- Whether the outlet or its cover is warm, discoloured or smells
- Whether a wall switch controls it
- When it last worked and what changed
What happens next
An electrician tests the circuit, isolates the cause and explains what the repair involves before doing it. Where this points at outlet, switch and gfci repair, that page covers what the work usually includes and what changes the scope.