outstrip
Americanverb (used with object)
-
outstrips,
present (3rd person singular)
-
outstripped,
past participle, past
-
outstripping
present participle
-
to outdo; surpass; excel.
-
to outdo or pass in running or swift travel.
A car can outstrip the local train.
-
to get ahead of or leave behind in a race or in any course of competition.
-
to exceed.
a demand that outstrips the supply.
verb
-
to surpass in a sphere of activity, competition, etc
-
to be or grow greater than
-
to go faster than and leave behind
Other Word Forms
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
-
outstripsimple
-
outstripssimple
-
have outstrippedperfect
-
has outstrippedperfect
-
am outstrippingprogressive
-
are outstrippingprogressive
-
is outstrippingprogressive
-
have been outstrippingperfect progressive
-
has been outstrippingperfect progressive
Past
-
outstrippedsimple
-
had outstrippedperfect
-
was outstrippingprogressive
-
were outstrippingprogressive
-
had been outstrippingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of outstrip
Explanation
While outstrip might make you think about undressing, it really means outdoing. If the productivity of your garden outstrips your neighbor's, expect the neighborhood to come calling for fresh vegetables. If one thing outstrips another, it exceeds it or goes beyond it. When you outstrip someone during a race, you pass them. When one company’s profits outstrip another’s, they make more money. When the productivity of one nation outstrips the neighboring nation, they will have a bigger Gross National Product.
Vocabulary lists containing outstrip
Flowers for Algernon
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
Grendel
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
Sapiens
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
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.
See Examples For:
The new budget would still far outstrip the EU's last one, which was worth around 1.2 trillion euros.
From Barron's ● Oct. 10, 2026
The large semiconductor manufacturers “are high operating-leverage businesses. If supply begins to outstrip demand, the earnings for these companies go down pretty quickly. You need to be careful,” Wilhelm said.
From MarketWatch ● Sep. 25, 2026
The increases far outstrip the overall jump in attendances, which has risen by just over 8% over the period.
From BBC ● Sep. 1, 2026
Fortunately, it also increases Megaport’s exposure to digital-infrastructure demand that MS believes will significantly outstrip supply.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 21, 2026
No one knew better than Ernest that his expansion plans would outstrip the resources of the university, the Rockefeller Foundation, and the Research Corporation, his customary financial backers.
From "Big Science" by Michael Hiltzik
In terms of intrigue, the appointment of Pietersen outstrips anything that has come before.
From BBC ● Sep. 7, 2026
Her compensation as stated in the latest available tax filings outstrips the pay for leaders of much larger nonprofits in the homelessness arena.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 6, 2026
Population growth of 2% per annum in the U.S. far outstrips the 0.8% of the United Kingdom, while the U.S.’s real GDP is substantially higher at 3.6% versus 2.1%.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 3, 2026
So long as Nvidia continues to use all three suppliers and memory demand outstrips overall supply, Micron should resume its rally.
From Barron's ● Jun. 8, 2026
I have imagined him afraid many times, but the reality outstrips those imaginings.
From "The Cruel Prince" by Holly Black
Bids outstripped the shares on offer within hours of subscriptions opening on 21 October.
From BBC ● Oct. 27, 2026
Wilson said blazers and logoed PE kits were among the most requested items, and despite additional purchases and generous donations, demand outstripped supply in some cases.
From BBC ● Sep. 7, 2026
Demand from retail investors significantly outstripped supply, with over 8,000 times more orders than shares available, it said ahead of its float.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 19, 2026
Revenue outstripped volumes, meanwhile, rising 5.6% on year to $16.66 billion due in part to a concentration on the group’s more premium labels.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 30, 2026
Malfoy grabbed the Stunned Goyle and dragged him along; Crabbe outstripped all of them, now looking terrified; Harry, Ron, and Hermione pelted along in his wake, and the fire pursued them.
From "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows" by J.K. Rowling
Alarm mounted throughout the summer as researchers at leading AI labs found the pace of development far outstripping their expectations.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 13, 2026
With demand growth outstripping new power supply, incumbent power plants could reap higher prices for their output without putting much capital at risk.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 12, 2026
But house prices have risen significantly since, outstripping wage rises most of the time.
From BBC ● Aug. 2, 2026
Hotter readings would call for a policy response because it would suggest demand is outstripping supply rather than one-off costs working through prices.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 29, 2026
“Tech-nology was outstripping cognitive capacity,” Dr. Atchley explains.
From "A Deadly Wandering: A Mystery, a Landmark Investigation, and the Astonishing Science of Attention in the Digital Age" by Matt Richtel
Random Word
Spin the wheel and learn a new word!
Get a wordDefinitions 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.
