outstrip

verb

out·​strip ˌau̇t-ˈstrip 

outstripped; outstripping; outstrips

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

Synonyms

• beat
• better
• eclipse
• exceed
• excel
• outclass
• outdistance
• outdo
• outgun
• outmatch
• outshine
• overtop
• surpass
• top
• tower (over)
• transcend

Choose the Right Synonym for 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.

exceed the speed limit

surpass suggests superiority in quality, merit, or skill.

the book surpassed our expectations

transcend implies a rising or extending notably above or beyond ordinary limits.

transcended the values of their culture

excel implies preeminence in achievement or quality and may suggest superiority to all others.

excels in mathematics

outdo applies to a bettering or exceeding what has been done before.

outdid herself this time

outstrip suggests surpassing in a race or competition.

outstripped other firms in sales

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 on the Web

But experts have pointed to demand outstripping supplies, manufacturing constraints and disruptions in supply lines for raw materials. —Kate Gibson, CBS News, 11 Apr. 2024

Recent gains come after a long, periodically interrupted trend of rising stock prices, which have outstripped increases in corporate earnings. —Jeff Sommer, New York Times, 5 Apr. 2024

These goods derive cultural and monetary value from scarcity, but there are relatively few situations in which demand genuinely outstrips supply. —Amanda Mull, The Atlantic, 2 Apr. 2024

These and similar drugs have continuously experienced shortages since their debut in recent years, with demand far outstripping supply. —Ed Cara / Gizmodo, Quartz, 7 Mar. 2024

One review of the research found that the benefits — not just to children but to society — far outstrip the costs. —Cory Turner, NPR, 6 Mar. 2024

If famine takes hold, the number of Gazans who die of hunger or disease could outstrip the Israel-Hamas war’s already breathtaking number of civilian deaths. —Hardin Lang, Foreign Affairs, 1 Mar. 2024

The need for organs far outstrips the number that are available. —John Bonifield, CNN, 4 Apr. 2024

Trentino has also invested heavily in child care — a strategy that predates and in some cases outstrips its neighbor. —Gaia Pianigiani, New York Times, 1 Apr. 2024

Word History

Etymology

out- + obsolete strip to move fast

First Known Use

1567, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

outstrip

verb

out·​strip -ˈstrip 

outstripped; outstripping

1

: to go faster or farther than

outstripped the other runners

2

a

: excel

outstripped all rivals

b

: exceed sense 1

demand outstrips supply