outstrip

verb

out·​strip ˌau̇t-ˈstrip 

outstripped; outstripping; outstrips

transitive verb

1

: to go faster or farther than

2

: to get ahead of

has civilization outstripped the ability of its users to use it?

—Margaret Mead

Synonyms

• beat
• better
• eclipse
• exceed
• excel
• outclass
• outdistance
• outdo
• outgun
• outmatch
• outshine
• overtop
• surpass
• top
• tower (over)
• transcend

Choose the Right Synonym for outstrip

exceed, surpass, transcend, excel, outdo, outstrip mean to go or be beyond a stated or implied limit, measure, or degree.

exceed implies going beyond a limit set by authority or established by custom or by prior achievement.

exceed the speed limit

surpass suggests superiority in quality, merit, or skill.

the book surpassed our expectations

transcend implies a rising or extending notably above or beyond ordinary limits.

transcended the values of their culture

excel implies preeminence in achievement or quality and may suggest superiority to all others.

excels in mathematics

outdo applies to a bettering or exceeding what has been done before.

outdid herself this time

outstrip suggests surpassing in a race or competition.

outstripped other firms in sales

Examples of outstrip in a Sentence

The new hotel outstrips all other hotels in the area in size and luxury.

The fullback outstripped the defenders and scored a touchdown.

Recent Examples on the Web

This means that the panic has sometimes outstripped the reality on the ground — at least so far — leading immigrants to avoid the public services and employment that are key to supporting them. —Luis Melecio-Zambrano, The Mercury News, 14 Feb. 2025

The layoffs will cap a complicated fiscal year for the museum, in which expenses habitually outstripped revenue despite growth in its board and endowment, as well as healthy attendance thanks to several blockbuster exhibitions, according to Pasternak’s letter. —Tessa Solomon, ARTnews.com, 7 Feb. 2025

The luxury rebound is gaining traction, with the latest proof coming from Burberry, where sales outstripped market expectations in the crucial Christmas trading period. —Samantha Conti, WWD, 24 Jan. 2025

Even in affordable properties, where demand has greatly outstripped supply for decades, the vacancy rate rose from 3.86% to 4.2% in the final three months of the year. —Aldo Svaldi, The Denver Post, 24 Jan. 2025

Word History

Etymology

out- + obsolete strip to move fast

First Known Use

1567, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for outstrip

• airship
• airstrip
• clerkship
• courtship
• equip
• filmstrip
• flagship
• gunship
• headship
• heirship
• judgeship
• kinship

Kids Definition

outstrip

verb

out·​strip -ˈstrip 

outstripped; outstripping

1

: to go faster or farther than

outstripped the other runners

2

a

: excel

outstripped all rivals

b

: exceed sense 1

demand outstrips supply