OUTDO Synonyms: 56 Similar and Opposite Words

Q: How does the verb 'outdo' contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of outdo are exceed , excel , outstrip , surpass , and transcend . While all these words mean "to go or be beyond a stated or implied limit, measure, or degree," outdo applies to a bettering or exceeding what has been done before. // outdid herself this time

Q: When would 'exceed' be a good substitute for 'outdo'?

The words exceed and outdo are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, exceed implies going beyond a limit set by authority or established by custom or by prior achievement. // exceed the speed limit

Q: When could 'excel' be used to replace 'outdo'?

In some situations, the words excel and outdo are roughly equivalent. However, excel implies preeminence in achievement or quality and may suggest superiority to all others. // excels in mathematics

Q: When can 'outstrip' be used instead of 'outdo'?

The meanings of outstrip and outdo largely overlap; however, outstrip suggests surpassing in a race or competition. // outstripped other firms in sales

Q: When is it sensible to use 'surpass' instead of 'outdo'?

While the synonyms surpass and outdo are close in meaning, surpass suggests superiority in quality, merit, or skill. // the book surpassed our expectations

Q: When might 'transcend' be a better fit than 'outdo'?

The synonyms transcend and outdo are sometimes interchangeable, but transcend implies a rising or extending notably above or beyond ordinary limits. // transcended the values of their culture

outdo

verb

ˌau̇t-ˈdü

Definition of outdo

as in to surpass

to be greater, better, or stronger than two vaccine developers who spent years vigorously trying to outdo one another's research

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

lose (to)

Synonym Chooser

How does the verb outdo contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of outdo are exceed, excel, outstrip, surpass, and transcend. While all these words mean "to go or be beyond a stated or implied limit, measure, or degree," outdo applies to a bettering or exceeding what has been done before.

outdid herself this time

When would exceed be a good substitute for outdo?

The words exceed and outdo are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, exceed implies going beyond a limit set by authority or established by custom or by prior achievement.

exceed the speed limit

When could excel be used to replace outdo?

In some situations, the words excel and outdo are roughly equivalent. However, excel implies preeminence in achievement or quality and may suggest superiority to all others.

excels in mathematics

When can outstrip be used instead of outdo?

The meanings of outstrip and outdo largely overlap; however, outstrip suggests surpassing in a race or competition.

outstripped other firms in sales

When is it sensible to use surpass instead of outdo?

While the synonyms surpass and outdo are close in meaning, surpass suggests superiority in quality, merit, or skill.

the book surpassed our expectations

When might transcend be a better fit than outdo?

The synonyms transcend and outdo are sometimes interchangeable, but transcend implies a rising or extending notably above or beyond ordinary limits.

transcended the values of their culture

Example Sentences

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.

Recent Examples of outdo Not to be outdone, Nintendo released a console of their own, the GameCube, which was a little underappreciated in its heyday, but has reached almost mythical status with the passage of time. — Austin Perry Outkick, FOXNews.com, 26 June 2026 Not to be outdone by Carolina playing with a 14-yr old, Chicago started 13-yr old Elsie Hendershot, just acquired from STL. — Todd Boss, Forbes.com, 29 June 2026 View gallery - 3 images IBM has developed the blueprint for producing a processor using sub-1-nanometer (nm) chip technology, outdoing its own efforts to increase efficiency and processing power with 2-nm tech from a few years ago. — Abhimanyu Ghoshal, New Atlas, 26 June 2026 Not to be outdone, Knick superfan Timothee Chalamet and girlfriend Kylie Jenner headed East after the Knicks victory, having gelato at Sant Ambroeus in East Hampton and shopping in Sag Harbor. — Nancy Kane, New York Daily News, 27 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for outdo

Recent Examples of Synonyms for outdo

Verb

Organizers of celebrations months in the making had to adjust or cancel activities entirely as much of the East Coast sweltered under heat that approached and in many cases surpassed triple digits.

— Steven Sloan, Los Angeles Times, 5 July 2026
With the more than 2,000-acre jump in size, the Aspen Acres fire has surpassed the 2012 High Park fire and sits behind the 2018 Spring Creek fire, which consumed 108,045 acres, according to the Colorado Division of Fire Prevention and Control.

— Lauren Penington, Denver Post, 5 July 2026

Definition of surpass

Verb

And by the 12th year, this number rises to $113,000, exceeding the median salary for graduate degree-holders in the state, according to the data released by the UC’s Institutional Research and Academic Planning department.

— Tarini Mehta, Sacbee.com, 2 July 2026
Revenue from golf and resort properties exceeded $500 million in 2025, rising about 15% from the previous year, according to the filing.

— Thao Nguyen, USA Today, 1 July 2026

Definition of exceed

Verb

Second in Austria marked Verstappen’s best result of the season — bettering his third in Canada.

— Madeline Coleman, New York Times, 29 June 2026
Hale, meanwhile, switched parties last year, arguing that running as a Republican will better his chances at beating Moore.

— Phillip M. Bailey, USA Today, 23 June 2026

Definition of better

Cite this Entry

Style

“Outdo.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/outdo. Accessed 8 Jul. 2026.

Copy Citation

Synonyms of outdo

verb

Synonym Chooser

Example Sentences

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

More from Merriam-Webster on outdo

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

gambol

Popular in Grammar & Usage

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 (-)

Popular in Wordplay

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

Popular

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

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Longest Long Words List

Games & Quizzes