outstrip

verb out·strip \ ˌau̇t-ˈstrip \

|Updated on: 12 Jun 2018

Tip: Synonym Guide

Examples: outstrip in a Sentence

Definition of outstrip

transitive verb

1 : to go faster or farther than

2 : to get ahead of

has civilization outstripped the ability of its users to use it?
—Margaret Mead

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Examples of outstrip in a Sentence

The new hotel outstrips all other hotels in the area in size and luxury.
The fullback outstripped the defenders and scored a touchdown.

Recent Examples of outstrip from the Web

While this outstrips the $80,000 tallied by the foundation in 2016, fewer entities are collecting funds this time, White-Seals said.

— janene holzberg, Howard County Times, "Shakespeare coming to the aid of Ellicott City in pair of benefit performances," 8 June 2018
That is roughly the number by which deaths currently outstrip births.

— The Economist, "No country resorts to IVF more than Japan—or has less success," 24 May 2018
Republicans outstripped them by more than 53,400 votes.

— Washington Post, "High hopes but tough road for black woman in governor’s race," 23 May 2018
The bittersweet drama chronicles a man (Joaquin Phoenix) who falls for a computer operating system with a soothing voice (Scarlett Johansson) that soon outstrips him in intellect and sophistication.

— julie hinds, Detroit Free Press, "The breakout star in 'Solo' is L3-37, a female droid for our turbulent Time's Up era," 20 May 2018
Demand so far outstrips supply in the United States, that the relative handful of walkable, transit-rich neighborhoods often become the most expensive places to live in their respective cities.

— patrick sisson, Curbed, "Rents impacted by new transit options, new study details," 2 May 2018
Demand for San Francisco’s compost, which mostly goes to vineyards in California’s wine country, already outstrips what’s available.

— moises velasquez-manoff, New York Times, "Can Dirt Save the Earth?," 18 Apr. 2018
Taiwan, after all, is America’s 11th-biggest trading partner, outstripping Brazil.

— The Economist, "America and TaiwanAn innocuous-seeming law causes a ruckus," 22 Mar. 2018
Democratic turnout for the 2018 midterm primaries in the state's 15 largest counties was nearly twice as high as the totals in 2014, outstripping the Republicans in urban counties in the GOP stronghold.

— editors, USA TODAY, "5 things you need to know Tuesday," 6 Mar. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'outstrip.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Origin and Etymology of outstrip

out- + obsolete strip to move fast

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 1567

in the meaning defined at sense 1

See Words from the same year

outstrip Synonyms

Phrases

go one better, run circles around (or run rings around);

Synonym Discussion of outstrip

exceed, surpass, transcend, excel, outdo, outstrip mean to go or be beyond a stated or implied limit, measure, or degree. exceed implies going beyond a limit set by authority or established by custom or by prior achievement.