outgrow

verb

out·​grow ˌau̇t-ˈgrō How to pronounce outgrow (audio)
outgrew ˌau̇t-ˈgrü How to pronounce outgrow (audio) ; outgrown ˌau̇t-ˈgrōn How to pronounce outgrow (audio) ; outgrowing

transitive verb

1
: to grow or increase faster than
mankind is outgrowing food suppliesR. C. Murphy
2
: to grow too large or too mature for
outgrew his best suit
the need to outgrow the habit of warNorman Cousins

Examples 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 After nearly three years and 144 episodes, Emergency Intercom outgrew its makeshift, kitchen-corner set and moved to a real studio. Bailey Richards, Peoplemag, 18 May 2024 After all, if your kids have outgrown these items, buyers are doing you a favor by taking these pre-used items off your hands as quickly (and conveniently) as possible. Nafeesah Allen, Parents, 16 May 2024 By 2018 Keith had outgrown the space inside Furnish Me Vintage and moved to a stand-alone location with two part-time employees. Charles Moss, SPIN, 16 May 2024 Volunteers say the city has outgrown its current facility, leading to animals having to be euthanized due to overcrowding. Mary Ramsey, Charlotte Observer, 14 May 2024 Gusto has also outlasted and outgrown competitors formed around the same time (consider, for example, Zenefits). Allie Garfinkle, Fortune, 10 May 2024 The coding program soon outgrew the diner and moved to a computer lab in a nearby elementary school. IEEE Spectrum, 30 Apr. 2024 As attendance outgrew its original building, the church moved to a former Southern Baptist church structure at its current location in the early 1980s. Jose R. Gonzalez, The Arizona Republic, 4 May 2024 The Diocese of Charlotte unveiled plans to build a new cathedral after outgrowing the 85-year-old St. Patrick Cathedral in the Dilworth neighborhood. Chase Jordan, Charlotte Observer, 5 Apr. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'outgrow.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1597, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of outgrow was in 1597

Dictionary Entries Near outgrow

Cite this Entry

“Outgrow.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/outgrow. Accessed 23 May. 2024.

Kids Definition

outgrow

verb
out·​grow (ˈ)au̇t-ˈgrō How to pronounce outgrow (audio)
outgrew -ˈgrü How to pronounce outgrow (audio) ; outgrown -ˈgrōn How to pronounce outgrow (audio) ; outgrowing
1
: to grow faster than
2
: to grow too large or too mature for
outgrew their clothes
outgrow playing with dolls

More from Merriam-Webster on outgrow

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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