outgrow
verb (used with object)
to grow too large for.
had outgrown
-
past perfectof outgrow.past perfect
Used to express a completed action that took place before another specific past action occurred.
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.
By the early 1930s, traffic had outgrown the old route.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 1, 2026
Sarah was excitedly packing up to move out of the terraced house her family had outgrown to a four-bedroom home in the countryside.
From BBC ● Jul. 18, 2026
By then, the national story was one of disinvestment: deferred maintenance, fiscal crises, crime and a general sense that big public systems were what Europe did and America had outgrown.
From The Wall Street Journal ● May 22, 2026
That summer, “Miss Americana” came out on Netflix, and though my 13-year-old thought she had outgrown her, we all emerged from the documentary impressed with Taylor’s newfound feminism, perception — and depth.
From Salon ● Apr. 23, 2024
That had been cute when she was a kid, but she had outgrown Chip's constant mispronunciation of her name.
From "The Parker Inheritance" by Varian Johnson
