outnumber
Americanverb (used with object)
verb
Etymology
Origin of outnumber
Explanation
To outnumber is to have more of one thing than another. Sometimes it’s good, like when chocolate chips outnumber the raisins in the trail mix. Sometimes it’s bad, like when ants outnumber the people at a picnic. In many cities, pigeons seem to outnumber any other kind of bird — in other words, there are more pigeons than sparrows, crows, and robins. If the girls in a class outnumber boys by three to one, there are three times more girls than boys. And in a school cafeteria, lunches that include meat will often outnumber the vegetarian choices. This verb has been around since the 1600s. It makes it sound like counting is a competition.
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.
Moreover, if predictions are correct, soon agents will outnumber people on corporate networks, and could blow a huge hole in the user-based business model.
From Barron's • May 27, 2026
New highs continue to outnumber new lows on the New York Stock Exchange, so this indicator remains bullish.
From MarketWatch • May 8, 2026
If predictions turn out to be true, in a few years agents will proliferate to the point where they outnumber people on enterprise networks.
From Barron's • May 8, 2026
The startup is one of several AI firms rushing to grab coveted New York office space, even as desks outnumber employees.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 29, 2026
If you’re counting, you’ll notice the earlys outnumber the lates.
From "All The Bright Places" by Jennifer Niven
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.
