outperform
Americanverb (used with object)
verb
Other Word Forms
Conjugated Forms
Present
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have outperformedperfect
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has outperformedperfect 3rd person singular
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am outperformingprogressive 1st person singular
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have been outperformingperfect progressive
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is outperformingprogressive 3rd person singular
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are outperformingprogressive
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outperformingparticiple
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has been outperformingperfect progressive 3rd person singular
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outperformssingular 3rd person
Past
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had outperformedperfect
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were outperformingprogressive plural
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was outperformingprogressive singular
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had been outperformingperfect progressive
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outperformedsimple
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outperformedparticiple
Future
Etymology
Origin of outperform
Explanation
To outperform is to accomplish something in a better or more impressive way that someone else. In a marathon, the younger runners usually outperform the very oldest ones. Whenever you surpass or beat the record of another person, you can say you outperform them. Experienced workers frequently outperform newer employees, and pundits like to worry aloud about students in other countries who outperform American kids on standardized tests. You can also say that an investment that makes more money outperforms a less profitable one.
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
In Malik’s view, AMD’s Venice CPUs will outperform Intel’s Diamond Rapids CPUs, although he still sees success for Intel’s offerings.
From MarketWatch • Jun. 12, 2026
“Historically, teams that host the World Cup outperform their capabilities,” Donovan said.
From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 11, 2026
The swoosh may outperform Wall Street’s expectations when it reports fiscal fourth-quarter earnings on June 30.
From Barron's • Jun. 10, 2026
Looking further out, Volvo said it expects long-term growth in global transport demand, with trucks and construction equipment expected to outperform their historical growth rates moving forward.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 10, 2026
Or that the upper triple-A-rated floor of some subprime mortgage bond would outperform the lower, triple-B-rated, floor.
From "The Big Short" by Michael Lewis
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
