outgrow

verb

out·​grow ˌau̇t-ˈgrō 

outgrew ˌau̇t-ˈgrü  ; outgrown ˌau̇t-ˈgrōn  ; outgrowing

transitive verb

1

: to grow or increase faster than

… mankind is outgrowing food supplies.

—R. C. Murphy

2

: to grow too large or too mature for

outgrew his best suit

the need to outgrow the habit of war

—Norman 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

Owner Ruben Granados Martinez said the restaurant outgrew its old spot on East Independence Boulevard and cited ongoing renovations at a neighboring business that made parking a headache. — Tanasia Kenney, Charlotte Observer, 29 Sep. 2026

The collection, however, isn’t being made entirely in Sunfish’s East Village space, which Hollidge and Eshaghpour have long since outgrown, both in size and ambition. — Jill Singer, Curbed, 23 Sep. 2026

Both Walsh brothers also have outgrown their sibling rivalry. — Rick Armstrong, Chicago Tribune, 23 Sep. 2026

The doctor said there was a possibility the fibroid would degenerate during the pregnancy, but Williams said by four months the fibroid had outgrown the baby, leading to a miscarriage. — Gayle King, CBS News, 18 Sep. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1597, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for outgrow

• acknow
• aglow
• ago
• airglow
• aloe
• altho
• although
• ammo
• backflow
• backhoe
• banjo
• barbeau

Kids Definition

outgrow

verb

out·​grow (ˈ)au̇t-ˈgrō 

outgrew -ˈgrü  ; outgrown -ˈgrōn  ; outgrowing

1

: to grow faster than

2

: to grow too large or too mature for

outgrew their clothes

outgrow playing with dolls