outgrow
verb
out·grow
ˌau̇t-ˈgrō 
outgrew
ˌau̇t-ˈgrü
; outgrown
ˌau̇t-ˈgrōn
; outgrowing
; outgrown
ˌau̇t-ˈgrōn
; outgrowing
1
: to grow or increase faster than
mankind is outgrowing food supplies—
R. C. Murphy
R. C. Murphy2
: to grow too large or too mature for
outgrew his best suit
the need to outgrow the habit of war—Norman Cousins
Norman CousinsExamples of outgrow in a Sentence
Kids outgrow their clothes so quickly.
The plant has outgrown my garden.
Our business is outgrowing its small office building.
She's outgrown most of her toys.
I realized that I had outgrown my old high school friends.
Recent Examples on the Web
It was meant to be a temporary location, but outgrew its 3,000-square-foot space years ago.
—Hema Sivanandam, The Mercury News, 22 Feb. 2025
These slow-growing plants demand much less trimming than other woody shrubs that can outgrow a planting space in a year or two.
—Megan Hughes, Better Homes & Gardens, 19 Feb. 2025
Staff has outgrown the current facility, officials said.
—Linda Girardi, Chicago Tribune, 14 Feb. 2025
Many children outgrow their fears, but persisting worries may be a sign of an anxiety disorder.
—Alexandra Banner, CNN, 6 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for outgrow
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Hema Sivanandam, The Mercury News, 22 Feb. 2025
These slow-growing plants demand much less trimming than other woody shrubs that can outgrow a planting space in a year or two.
—Megan Hughes, Better Homes & Gardens, 19 Feb. 2025
Staff has outgrown the current facility, officials said.
—Linda Girardi, Chicago Tribune, 14 Feb. 2025
Many children outgrow their fears, but persisting worries may be a sign of an anxiety disorder.
—Alexandra Banner, CNN, 6 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for outgrow
Cite this Entry
“Outgrow.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/outgrow. Accessed 9 Mar. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
outgrow
verb
out·grow
(ˈ)au̇t-ˈgrō
1
: to grow faster than
2
: to grow too large or too mature for
outgrew their clothes
outgrow playing with dolls
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