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 Also, healthy, actively growing orchids will produce fleshy new roots and outgrow their pots. Megan Hughes, Better Homes & Gardens, 18 Mar. 2024 While many parents suspect a cow’s milk allergy when their baby is excessively fussy or gassy, in reality, only about 2-3% of infants have a milk protein allergy, and most outgrow it by the age of seven. Lainey Younkin, Ms, Rd, Parents, 15 Mar. 2024 Repotting Pineapple plants typically don’t need to be repotted, but do so if your plant is outgrowing its container. Grace Haynes, Southern Living, 11 Mar. 2024 Your professional path, worldly status, and reputation are going through a shedding process, like a snake outgrowing a skin. Steph Koyfman, Condé Nast Traveler, 27 Feb. 2024 Other companies may have just outgrown the narratives that once served them well. Dev Patnaik, Forbes, 18 Feb. 2024 But hours of digging yielded little: coats the boys had outgrown, a crumpled bicycle, a broken bed and Erdem’s backpack and wallet, moldy from the rain. Safak Timur Emin Ozmen, New York Times, 4 Feb. 2024 The Big Ten and SEC, in particular, have outgrown the NCAA and the college football structure. Jon Wilner, The Mercury News, 1 Mar. 2024 Casa de Español’s numbers quickly swelled, and the school outgrew its humble beginnings. Cathie Anderson, Sacramento Bee, 29 Feb. 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 28 Mar. 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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