outweigh
Americanverb (used with object)
-
outweighs,
present (3rd person singular)
-
outweighed,
past participle, past
-
outweighing
present participle
-
to exceed in value, importance, influence, etc..
The advantages of the plan outweighed its defects.
- Synonyms:
- override, eclipse, overshadow, surpass
-
to exceed in weight.
The champion will probably outweigh his opponent.
-
to be too heavy or burdensome for.
Collapse may follow if the load outweighs its supports.
verb
-
to prevail over; overcome
his desire outweighed his discretion
-
to be more important or significant than
-
to be heavier than
Other Word Forms
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
-
outweighsimple
-
outweighssimple
-
have outweighedperfect
-
has outweighedperfect
-
am outweighingprogressive
-
are outweighingprogressive
-
is outweighingprogressive
-
have been outweighingperfect progressive
-
has been outweighingperfect progressive
Past
-
outweighedsimple
-
had outweighedperfect
-
was outweighingprogressive
-
were outweighingprogressive
-
had been outweighingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of outweigh
Explanation
To outweigh is to be heavier or more important than something (or someone). A preschooler's needs might outweigh those of his uncle, even if the uncle does outweigh him by 200 pounds. Your Great Dane definitely outweighs your kitten, just like your car outweighs your bicycle and you outweigh the ant you just accidentally stepped on. If someone says "the benefits outweigh the risks," they mean that what can be gained is much more significant that what might be lost or risked: "I think you should apply for that scholarship; the benefits really outweigh the risks."
Vocabulary lists containing outweigh
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out (beyond)
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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:
Because the Pacific is so vast, changes in its mass can outweigh gains or losses in other ocean basins.
From Science Daily ● Oct. 7, 2026
He manages more than 300 people at the district attorney’s office and spent decades in the courtroom securing high-profile convictions — advantages that he contends outweigh his lack of civil litigation experience.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 27, 2026
After a spell of ill-health, Hart, 53, hopes "the joy of mucking about on television again will hopefully outweigh some of the challenges".
From BBC ● Sep. 26, 2026
FDA advisers are meeting Wednesday to vote on whether the test is safe and effective, and the benefits outweigh the risks as part of the approval process.
From MarketWatch ● Sep. 23, 2026
I taught that a person’s good deeds outweigh his bad deeds.
From "The Autobiography of Malcolm X" by Alex Malcolm X;Hailey
For many match-going fans, however, the prospect of beer being thrown and potential anti-social behaviour outweighs the opportunity to watch a game with a pint.
From BBC ● Sep. 24, 2026
College grad and barista Brooks Langford said it’s typical for user-generated promotional posts to skip disclosures, admitting “easy cash outweighs the slight dishonesty” he feels.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 21, 2026
The risk outweighs the reward of seeing the car go really fast.
From Salon ● Sep. 12, 2026
Said Gomes: “Once again, we’ve got to see how he continues to feel. At some point, if it’s a, ‘Hey, the upside outweighs the downside,’ then we shut it down.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 4, 2026
“Seven’s not a mistake, I love him to death, but Maverick made a mistake in his actions. However, all of his good and the love we share outweighs that one mistake.”
From "The Hate U Give" by Angie Thomas
That return shows that the higher interest payments have outweighed the greater volatility and higher rates of bond defaults and credit losses for the high-yield index.
From MarketWatch ● Sep. 22, 2026
While L.A.’s population has steadily grown for years, much of that growth is from immigration from abroad that has outweighed the number of people leaving.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 11, 2026
Gold’s recent slippage came as high Treasury yields, firmer Fed rate-hike expectations and rising oil prices “collectively outweighed dollar softness,” Kaynat Chainwala of Kotak Neo says in a note.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 10, 2026
In findings published at the Court of Session in Edinburgh, Judge Lord Braid said each child came from "loving parents", but their welfare outweighed any family objections.
From BBC ● Aug. 20, 2026
Yet, even with such attitudes, I believe their benefits outweighed their disadvantages.
From "Long Walk to Freedom" by Nelson Mandela
“Some people are still treating themselves at home,” said Rose Tchwenko, Mercy Corps’ country director for Congo, “because of the fear of treatment centers and stigma outweighing trust in the response.”
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 16, 2026
“I think the earnings story of small caps is outweighing some of the fears of higher rates.”
From MarketWatch ● Jun. 30, 2026
“Emotional value is increasingly shaping purchasing decisions, at times outweighing practical function.”
From MarketWatch ● Jun. 22, 2026
The precious metal’s price is being weighed down by a more hawkish Fed outweighing relief from the U.S.-Iran interim peace deal, ANZ Research analysts say in a note.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 19, 2026
So much for the good outweighing the bad.
From "The Hate U Give" by Angie Thomas
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.
