Standard Lemma guide

outclass

verb · 2 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • /aʊtˈklæs/
  • /aʊtˈklɑːs/
  • Southern-England: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • rhymes with -æs
  • rhymes with -ɑːs
  • CMU ARPABET: AW1 T K L AE2 S Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.

1

verb

Meaning 1

to surpass something or somebody else, so as to appear to be in a higher class

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: transitive

Examples

  • In the IQ test, he outclassed all the other applicants.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

verb

Meaning 2

cause to appear in a lower class

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • The Yankees outclassed Cincinnati

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: subordinate

History

Etymology

Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *úd Proto-Germanic *ūt Proto-Germanic *ūt- Old English ūt- Middle English ut- English out- English class English outclass From out- + class.

Across languages

Translations

7 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Bulgarian: надминавам (nadminavam) — To surpass something
  • Bulgarian: превъзхождам (prevǎzhoždam) — To surpass something
  • French: surclasser — To surpass something
  • German: deklassieren — To surpass something
  • Italian: surclassare — To surpass something
  • Norwegian: utklasse — To surpass something
  • Spanish: superar — To surpass something