outdo

verb

out·​do ˌau̇t-ˈdü How to pronounce outdo (audio)
outdid ˌau̇t-ˈdid How to pronounce outdo (audio) ; outdone ˌau̇t-ˈdən How to pronounce outdo (audio) ; outdoing ˌau̇t-ˈdü-iŋ How to pronounce outdo (audio) ; outdoes ˌau̇t-ˈdəz How to pronounce outdo (audio)
Synonyms of outdonext

transitive verb

1
: to go beyond in action or performance
2
: defeat, overcome

Synonyms of outdo

Relevance
See All Synonyms & Antonyms in Thesaurus
Choose the Right Synonym for outdo

exceed, surpass, transcend, excel, outdo, outstrip mean to go or be beyond a stated or implied limit, measure, or degree.

exceed implies going beyond a limit set by authority or established by custom or by prior achievement.

exceed the speed limit

surpass suggests superiority in quality, merit, or skill.

the book surpassed our expectations

transcend implies a rising or extending notably above or beyond ordinary limits.

transcended the values of their culture

excel implies preeminence in achievement or quality and may suggest superiority to all others.

excels in mathematics

outdo applies to a bettering or exceeding what has been done before.

outdid herself this time

outstrip suggests surpassing in a race or competition.

outstripped other firms in sales

Examples of outdo in a Sentence

Smaller companies often outdo larger ones in customer service. My sister always tried to outdo me in school. She scored 20 points in the first game. Not to be outdone, I scored 30 points myself in the second game.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Shacks, of which there were nine along the peninsula, would compete to outdo each other, lighting bonfires on the beach, supplying endless kegs, and inviting live bands. — Curbed Editors, Curbed, 23 June 2026 The Slushi has been around for a couple years, and its popularity remains high (perhaps only to be outdone by the brand’s Creami). — Melissa Knific, Bon Appetit Magazine, 2 July 2026 Safran, who attended Annecy this year for the first time, underlined how much the event had absolutely outdone his expectations. — Kevin Giraud, Variety, 25 June 2026 Not be outdone, a couple of New Jersey towns even 'rebelled' against data centers despite there being no plan to actually build them! — Brian Sullivan, CNBC, 24 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for outdo

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1616, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of outdo was circa 1616

Phrases Containing outdo

Rhymes for outdo

See All Rhymes for outdo

Browse Nearby Words

outdistance
outdo
outdo oneself
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Outdo.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/outdo. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

Copy Citation

Kids Definition

More from Merriam-Webster on outdo

Nglish: Translation of outdo for Spanish Speakers

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

Commonly Misspelled Words

How to Use Em Dashes (—), En Dashes (–) , and Hyphens (-)
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Longest Long Words List

One-Word Oxymorons: Bittersweet, Spendthrift, and More

Ten Words Ending with a Silent ‘T’

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World
See More

Popular

See More

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Longest Long Words List
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
hangman letters and game
Hangman Lightning Round Figure out which word fits in the blanks.
See All