Synonym Chooser

How does the verb outdo contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of outdo are exceed, excel, outstrip, surpass, and transcend. While all these words mean "to go or be beyond a stated or implied limit, measure, or degree," outdo applies to a bettering or exceeding what has been done before.

outdid herself this time

When would exceed be a good substitute for outdo?

The words exceed and outdo are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, exceed implies going beyond a limit set by authority or established by custom or by prior achievement.

exceed the speed limit

When could excel be used to replace outdo?

In some situations, the words excel and outdo are roughly equivalent. However, excel implies preeminence in achievement or quality and may suggest superiority to all others.

excels in mathematics

When can outstrip be used instead of outdo?

The meanings of outstrip and outdo largely overlap; however, outstrip suggests surpassing in a race or competition.

outstripped other firms in sales

When is it sensible to use surpass instead of outdo?

While the synonyms surpass and outdo are close in meaning, surpass suggests superiority in quality, merit, or skill.

the book surpassed our expectations

When might transcend be a better fit than outdo?

The synonyms transcend and outdo are sometimes interchangeable, but transcend implies a rising or extending notably above or beyond ordinary limits.

transcended the values of their culture

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of outdo The group—referred to as a tribe—is said to outdo the Ruska Roma in its ruthlessness, but Eve is not to be deterred. Richard Brody, New Yorker, 5 June 2025 When the pair meet up at England camps, there’s a fierce desire to outdo one another and win, whether during training drills or practice games. Gregg Evans, New York Times, 30 May 2025 Not to be outdone, competitor Gulfstream’s flagship G700 made its own record run from San Francisco to Paris Le Bourget in nine hours and 26 minutes. Michael Verdon, Robb Report, 18 June 2025 Intel's integrated graphics are currently the best, outdoing AMD and Qualcomm's solutions. Luke Larsen, Wired News, 15 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for outdo
Recent Examples of Synonyms for outdo
Verb
  • The market could surpass those previous records on Friday or early next week, analysts told CBS MoneyWatch.
    Aimee Picchi, CBS News, 26 June 2025
  • Meanwhile, a 2024 forecast by Research and Markets estimates the digital education sector will surpass $80 billion by 2030, driven by microlearning and online skill monetization.
    Kolawole Samuel Adebayo, Forbes.com, 26 June 2025
Verb
  • In 2023, Luckin’s revenue in China exceeded what Starbucks made there for the first time, bouncing back from an accounting scandal that got Luckin booted from the Nasdaq in 2020.
    Jim Edwards, Fortune, 2 July 2025
  • Despite Israel’s qualitatively effective defenses, an underlying quantitative war attrition was at play that threatened to degrade Israel’s position over time: Iranian stocks of MRBM-class missiles likely exceeded the number of anti-MRBM interceptors possessed by Israel (ie. Arrow-2 and 3).
    Sebastien Roblin, Forbes.com, 1 July 2025
Verb
  • Brazilian dystopian series 3% is another show that follows people who are struggling financially and enter a competition to better their lives.
    Skyler Trepel, People.com, 30 June 2025
  • Kate Hudson considered being emancipated from her parents, Goldie Hawn and Bill Hudson, to better her Hollywood career.
    Janelle Ash, FOXNews.com, 28 June 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Outdo.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/outdo. Accessed 9 Jul. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on outdo

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