outweigh
Americanverb (used with object)
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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
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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:
Fraser Hill, Katie Wilkinson and Katie White all said curiosity would outweigh any hesitation if they were offered a taste of the recovered Guinness.
From BBC ● Aug. 7, 2026
As momentum grew, the political cost of holding firm appeared to outweigh the risks.
From Barron's ● Jul. 29, 2026
To them, those benefits may outweigh the appeal of an uncertain million-dollar payday.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 24, 2026
The benefits of exercising on public land, when done safely and under supervision, outweigh the risks of injury or property damage, such as a baseball going through a neighbor’s window, Ebright said.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 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
The increased value of SK Telecom’s Anthropic stake outweighs anything happening in its telecom business, Baker says.
From The Wall Street Journal ● May 8, 2026
But Pietersen said a stint at the IPL, the world's richest cricket tournament, outweighs time on the county circuit.
From BBC ● Apr. 23, 2026
"The number of receptors in the human eye far outweighs what a camera is able to do."
From Barron's ● Apr. 5, 2026
“Their response has been that their fiduciary responsibility outweighs any other consideration,” Pritchett said.
From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 2, 2026
She added, more loudly, “I think J. R.’s value to us outweighs his danger, that of his knowing.
From "Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?" by Philip K. Dick
Gains in cereal, sugar and vegetable oils outweighed declines in meat and dairy prices.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 7, 2026
By 2014, the program as a whole actually had made money for taxpayers, as the losses were outweighed by repaid loans from companies that had found success.
From Slate ● Jul. 27, 2026
Markowicz said that the cost of refinancing outweighed the benefit for now, particularly because they plan to move to a bigger house in the near future.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 22, 2026
But, it said, "these are likely to be outweighed by other actions that may increase emissions".
From Barron's ● Jul. 22, 2026
But the crowd would insist on leaving me, and when their threats outweighed my small value, then a man like Samir would no longer stick his neck out for me.
From "The Many Assassinations of Samir, the Seller of Dreams" by Daniel Nayeri
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
A jump in technology shares powered markets higher for a second consecutive session, outweighing losses in energy stocks.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Mar. 25, 2026
On balance, Europe sees the risks of getting directly involved as outweighing the benefits.
From Barron's ● Mar. 17, 2026
Palo Alto Networks came up well short on its profit guidance for the current quarter, outweighing stronger-than-expected performance in the most recent quarter.
From MarketWatch ● Feb. 17, 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.
