Standard Lemma guide

outdo

verb · 3 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.

  • US: /aʊtˈdu/
  • Southern-England: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • rhymes with -uː
  • CMU ARPABET: AW2 T D UW1 Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.

1

verb

Meaning 1

To excel; go beyond in performance; surpass.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: transitive

Examples

  • You've outdone yourself—another personal best!

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

verb

Meaning 2

be or do something to a greater degree

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • her performance surpasses that of any other student I know
  • She outdoes all other athletes
  • This exceeds all my expectations
  • This car outperforms all others in its class

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: surpass, outstrip, outmatch, outgo, exceed, surmount, outperform

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: beat, beat out, crush, shell, trounce, vanquish

Narrower terms: outwit, overreach, outsmart, outfox, beat, circumvent, outgrow, outshout, outcry, outroar, outsail, outdraw, outsell, outpace, better, break, outshine, outrange, outweigh, outbrave, out-herod, shame, outmarch, outwear

3

verb

Meaning 3

get the better of

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • the goal was to best the competition

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: outflank, trump, best, scoop

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: beat, beat out, crush, shell, trounce, vanquish

Narrower terms: outmaneuver, outmanoeuvre, outsmart

History

Etymology

Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *úd Proto-Germanic *ūt Proto-Germanic *ūt- Old English ūt- Middle English ut- English out- Proto-Indo-European *dheh1- Proto-Indo-European *dhéh1t Proto-Indo-European *dheh1- Proto-Indo-European *dhédheh1ti Proto-Germanic *dōną Proto-West Germanic *dōn Old English dōn Middle English don English do English outdo From out- + do.

Across languages

Translations

40 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Bulgarian: надминавам (nadminavam) — to go beyond
  • Bulgarian: превъзхождам (prevǎzhoždam) — to go beyond
  • Chinese Mandarin: 超過 /超过 (chāoguò) — to go beyond
  • Chinese Mandarin: 勝過 /胜过 (shèngguò) — to go beyond
  • Czech: překonat — to go beyond
  • Dutch: overtreffen — to go beyond
  • Finnish: päihittää — to go beyond
  • French: surpasser — to go beyond
  • Galician: superar — to go beyond
  • German: übertreffen — to go beyond
  • Gothic: 𐍆𐌰𐌿𐍂𐌰𐍂𐌰𐌷𐌽𐌾𐌰𐌽 (faurarahnjan) — to go beyond
  • Ancient Greek: ὑπερβάλλω (huperbállō) — to go beyond
  • Hungarian: felülmúl — to go beyond
  • Hungarian: túltesz — to go beyond
  • Hungarian: túlszárnyal — to go beyond
  • Hungarian: lepipál — to go beyond
  • Indonesian: melampaui — to go beyond
  • Italian: fare meglio — to go beyond
  • Japanese: 凌ぐ (shinogu) — to go beyond
  • Japanese: 打ち勝つ (uchikatsu) — to go beyond
  • Latin: superō — to go beyond
  • Latin: praecellō — to go beyond
  • Māori: pahika — to go beyond
  • Polish: prześcigać — to go beyond
  • Polish: prześcignąć — to go beyond
  • Polish: przewyższać — to go beyond
  • Polish: przewyższać — to go beyond
  • Portuguese: superar — to go beyond
  • Russian: превосходи́ть (prevosxodítʹ) — to go beyond
  • Russian: превзойти́ (prevzojtí) — to go beyond
  • Russian: перещеголя́ть (pereščegoljátʹ) — to go beyond
  • Spanish: exceder — to go beyond
  • Spanish: sobrepasar — to go beyond
  • Spanish: pasar — to go beyond
  • Spanish: superar — to go beyond
  • Spanish: mejorar — to go beyond
  • Spanish: llevar en la balastra — to go beyond
  • Spanish: lucirse — to go beyond
  • Spanish: excederse a sí mismo — to go beyond
  • Swedish: överträffa — to go beyond