Standard Lemma guide

outshine

verb · 5 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.

  • /aʊtˈʃaɪn/
  • Received-Pronunciation: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • rhymes with -aɪn
  • CMU ARPABET: AW1 CH AY2 N Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.

1

verb

Meaning 1

To shine brighter than something else

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

verb

Meaning 2

To exceed something or someone else, especially in an obvious or flamboyant manner

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: extinguish

Antonyms: none provided

3

verb

Meaning 3

To shine forth, to give out light.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: literary

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

4

verb

Meaning 4

attract more attention and praise than others

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • This film outshone all the others in quality

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: surpass, outstrip, outmatch, outgo, exceed, outdo, surmount, outperform

Narrower terms: upstage

5

verb

Meaning 5

shine brighter than

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • What star outshines the sun?

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: shine, beam

History

Etymology

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

Across languages

Translations

13 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • German: überstrahlen — to shine brighter than something else
  • German: überleuchten — to shine brighter than something else
  • Portuguese: ofuscar — to shine brighter than something else
  • Spanish: deslumbrar — to shine brighter than something else
  • Spanish: obcecar — to shine brighter than something else
  • French: dépasser — to exceed something or someone else, especially in an obvious or flamboyant manner
  • German: überstrahlen — to exceed something or someone else, especially in an obvious or flamboyant manner
  • German: überleuchten — to exceed something or someone else, especially in an obvious or flamboyant manner
  • German: überragen — to exceed something or someone else, especially in an obvious or flamboyant manner
  • German: übertreffen — to exceed something or someone else, especially in an obvious or flamboyant manner
  • Ido: eklipsar — to exceed something or someone else, especially in an obvious or flamboyant manner
  • Italian: eclissare — to exceed something or someone else, especially in an obvious or flamboyant manner
  • Swedish: överglänsa — to exceed something or someone else, especially in an obvious or flamboyant manner