outweigh

verb

out·​weigh ˌau̇t-ˈwā 

outweighed; outweighing; outweighs

transitive verb

: to exceed in weight, value, or importance

the advantages outweigh the disadvantages

Synonyms of outweigh

• exceed
• overshadow
• overweigh
• mean
• overbalance

Examples of outweigh in a Sentence

She outweighs her sister by 10 pounds.

This issue outweighs all others in importance.

Recent Examples on the Web

If privacy outweighs palm trees, Montana may be the favorite. — Bryan West, USA Today, 7 July 2026

In truth, by mastering deal structure, sophisticated investors achieve asymmetric returns, where upsides significantly outweigh downsides. — Justin Donald, Forbes.com, 7 July 2026

Most of us, for instance, are not the oil company executives who were told about the effects of CO2 emissions back in the 1970s and decided that the threat to their business outweighed the threat to the planet. — Gabriel Winslow-Yost, The New York Review of Books, 4 July 2026

And the cost of repairing newer machines can often outweigh the benefit, meaning that buying a completely new machine is more economical than repairing the existing one. — Mary Catherine McAnnally Scott, Southern Living, 4 July 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1534, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for outweigh

• airway
• allay
• archway
• array
• ashtray
• assez
• astray
• aue
• away
• ballet
• belay
• beltway

Kids Definition

outweigh

verb

out·​weigh -ˈwā 

: to be greater than in weight, value, or importance

the benefits outweigh the disadvantages