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
The commission said the hunt was intended to slow bear-population growth and manage the species’ numbers before the animals outgrow their habitat.
—Zoey Thomas, Miami Herald, 13 Jan. 2026
By last year, organizers said festival had outgrown the space.
—Heidi Finley, Charlotte Observer, 13 Jan. 2026
State spending has outgrown its tax revenues and in recent years the budget has faced structural deficits in the tens of billions of dollars.
—Nicole Nixon, Sacbee.com, 8 Jan. 2026
The Hoosier Dome opened in 1984, mall culture grew as teens and shoppers flocked to Castleton Square and plans for Circle Centre got underway, all while Indy began to outgrow its 'Naptown' nickname.
—Joe Mutascio, IndyStar, 8 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for outgrow
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Zoey Thomas, Miami Herald, 13 Jan. 2026
By last year, organizers said festival had outgrown the space.
—Heidi Finley, Charlotte Observer, 13 Jan. 2026
State spending has outgrown its tax revenues and in recent years the budget has faced structural deficits in the tens of billions of dollars.
—Nicole Nixon, Sacbee.com, 8 Jan. 2026
The Hoosier Dome opened in 1984, mall culture grew as teens and shoppers flocked to Castleton Square and plans for Circle Centre got underway, all while Indy began to outgrow its 'Naptown' nickname.
—Joe Mutascio, IndyStar, 8 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for outgrow
Cite this Entry
“Outgrow.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/outgrow. Accessed 16 Jan. 2026.
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
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