verb · 4 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
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UK:/ˌaʊtˈɡɹəʊ/
US:/ˌɑʊtˈɡɹoʊ/
Southern-England:Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
rhymes with -əʊ
CMU ARPABET:AW2 T G R OW1
Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.
1
verb
Meaning 1
To become too big in size or too mature in age or outlook to continue to want, need, use, experience, or accept some object, practice, condition, belief, etc.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: figuratively, often, transitive
Examples
Poorer children often have to wear whatever an older sibling has outgrown.
I used to have allergies but I outgrew all of them.
Some people blame God for their troubles, but one must outgrow such notions.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: grow out of
Antonyms: none provided
2
verb
Meaning 2
To grow faster or larger than.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: transitive
Examples
The best adapted plant varieties tend to outgrow those less adapted.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
3
verb
Meaning 3
grow too large or too mature for
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
I have outgrown these clothes
She outgrew her childish habits
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: develop, grow
4
verb
Meaning 4
grow faster than
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *úd Proto-Germanic *ūt Proto-Germanic *ūt- Old English ūt- Middle English ut- English out- English grow English outgrow From out- + grow.
Across languages
Translations
22 source translations are retained for this English entry.
Bulgarian:
надраствам
(nadrastvam)
— to become too big or mature for some object, practice, condition, belief, etc
Dutch:
ontgroeien
— to become too big or mature for some object, practice, condition, belief, etc
Dutch:
ontwassen
— to become too big or mature for some object, practice, condition, belief, etc
Finnish:
kasvaa ulos
— to become too big or mature for some object, practice, condition, belief, etc
Finnish:
kasvaa pois
— to become too big or mature for some object, practice, condition, belief, etc
French:
dépasser
— to become too big or mature for some object, practice, condition, belief, etc
Hungarian:
kinő
— to become too big or mature for some object, practice, condition, belief, etc
Italian:
superare
— to become too big or mature for some object, practice, condition, belief, etc
Polish:
wyrastać
— to become too big or mature for some object, practice, condition, belief, etc
Polish:
wyrosnąć
— to become too big or mature for some object, practice, condition, belief, etc
Portuguese:
superar
— to become too big or mature for some object, practice, condition, belief, etc
Dutch:
ontgroeien
— to grow faster or taller than someone or something else
Finnish:
kasvaa nopeammin
— to grow faster or taller than someone or something else
Finnish:
kasvaa isommaksi
— to grow faster or taller than someone or something else
Italian:
superare
— to grow faster or taller than someone or something else
Polish:
przerastać
— to grow faster or taller than someone or something else
Polish:
przerosnąć
— to grow faster or taller than someone or something else
Spanish:
supracrecer
— to grow faster or taller than someone or something else
Spanish:
extracrecer
— to grow faster or taller than someone or something else
Spanish:
ultracrecer
— to grow faster or taller than someone or something else
Spanish:
superar
— to grow faster or taller than someone or something else
Spanish:
exceder
— to grow faster or taller than someone or something else
