outgrow
verb
out·grow
ˌau̇t-ˈgrō 
outgrew
ˌau̇t-ˈgrü
; outgrown
ˌau̇t-ˈgrōn
; outgrowing
; outgrown
ˌau̇t-ˈgrōn
; outgrowing
1
: to grow or increase faster than
… mankind is outgrowing food supplies.—
R. C. Murphy
R. C. Murphy2
: to grow too large or too mature for
outgrew his best suit
the need to outgrow the habit of war—Norman Cousins
Norman CousinsExamples 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
Plus, even grown-ups don’t have to outgrow the fun.
—Kimberly Zapata, Parents, 19 Dec. 2025
Lockton employs about 2,000 people in the Kansas City metro and has steadily outgrown its space on the Plaza, according to Kansas City Business Journal reporting.
—Taylor O'Connor, Kansas City Star, 18 Dec. 2025
Studies show there is no elevated risk when MMRV is given for the second dose at ages 4 to 6 years old, after children have outgrown the highest-risk window, Gounder says.
—CBS News, 16 Dec. 2025
What once struggled at the box office became a generational heirloom, passed down like a favorite bedtime story, reminding us that sincerity is not something to outgrow.
—Clayton Davis, Variety, 15 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for outgrow
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.
Kimberly Zapata, Parents, 19 Dec. 2025
Lockton employs about 2,000 people in the Kansas City metro and has steadily outgrown its space on the Plaza, according to Kansas City Business Journal reporting.
—Taylor O'Connor, Kansas City Star, 18 Dec. 2025
Studies show there is no elevated risk when MMRV is given for the second dose at ages 4 to 6 years old, after children have outgrown the highest-risk window, Gounder says.
—CBS News, 16 Dec. 2025
What once struggled at the box office became a generational heirloom, passed down like a favorite bedtime story, reminding us that sincerity is not something to outgrow.
—Clayton Davis, Variety, 15 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for outgrow
Cite this Entry
“Outgrow.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/outgrow. Accessed 26 Dec. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
outgrow
verb
out·grow
(ˈ)au̇t-ˈgrō
1
: to grow faster than
2
: to grow too large or too mature for
outgrew their clothes
outgrow playing with dolls
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share