What does "outstrip" mean?
To move more quickly than (someone or something) so as to outrun or leave it behind.
Outstrip
/ˌaʊtˈstɹɪp/ verb
verb ·Common ·High school level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: To move more quickly than (someone or something) so as to outrun or leave it behind.
- Grammar: outstrip is listed as verb.
- Nearest alternatives: exceed, outdistance, outperform, surpass.
- Useful contrasts: lag, rivaling, rivalled.
- Usage evidence: McDaniel said the damage caused by the virus will likely far outstrip that caused by the ongoing tariff-based trade war between the U.S. and China.
How to use "outstrip"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "outstrip" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "outstrip" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "outstrip" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "outstrip" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "outstrip" is acting as verb in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "exceed" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "outstrip", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Verb
- 1 To move more quickly than (someone or something) so as to outrun or leave it behind. transitive
"We quickly outstripped the amateur runners."
- 2 be or do something to a greater degree wordnet
- 3 To exceed or surpass (someone or something). figuratively, transitive
"This year’s production has already outstripped last year’s."
- 4 go far ahead of wordnet
- 5 To exceed or overstep (a boundary or limit); to transgress. archaic, rare, transitive
"Therefore Gentlemen, / And kinde Spectators, if I haue out-ſtript / An old mans gratuitie, or ſtrict canon, thinke / What a yong Wife, and a good Brayne may doe: / Stretch Ages truth ſometimes, and crack it too."
Synonyms
All synonymsExample
"McDaniel said the damage caused by the virus will likely far outstrip that caused by the ongoing tariff-based trade war between the U.S. and China."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "outstrip"?
Common synonyms include: exceed, outdistance, outperform, surpass, bang, be the bellwether.
How do you use "outstrip" in a sentence?
McDaniel said the damage caused by the virus will likely far outstrip that caused by the ongoing tariff-based trade war between the U.S. and China.
How do you pronounce "outstrip"?
Pronounced /ˌaʊtˈstɹɪp/.
Etymology
From out- (prefix forming verbs with the sense of exceeding or surpassing) + strip (“(obsolete) to move or pass by quickly”).