outnumber

verb

out·​num·​ber ˌau̇t-ˈnəm-bər How to pronounce outnumber (audio)
outnumbered; outnumbering; outnumbers

transitive verb

: to exceed in number

Examples of outnumber in a Sentence

With 20 girls and 10 boys in the class, girls outnumber boys by 2 to 1.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
With a population of 40 million, residents outnumber the 39 million Californians—the U.S.' most populous state. Dan Perry, Newsweek, 18 Dec. 2024 They were surrounded and outnumbered four to one by North Vietnamese forces. Chris Dorsey, Forbes, 17 Dec. 2024 Advertisement That erosion in women’s power is particularly noteworthy for a state where women outnumber men among registered voters and the first female House speaker and first female vice president each got their start in the hothouse of San Francisco politics. Mark Z. Barabak, Los Angeles Times, 11 Dec. 2024 But, at least to my parental eye, the similarities can seem to outnumber the differences. Joshua Rothman, The New Yorker, 3 Dec. 2024 See all Example Sentences for outnumber 

Word History

First Known Use

1598, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of outnumber was in 1598

Dictionary Entries Near outnumber

Cite this Entry

“Outnumber.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/outnumber. Accessed 6 Jan. 2025.

Kids Definition

outnumber

verb
out·​num·​ber (ˈ)au̇t-ˈnəm-bər How to pronounce outnumber (audio)
: to be more than in number
girls outnumber boys in the class

More from Merriam-Webster on outnumber

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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