as in surpassed
to be greater, better, or stronger than
a tennis player who outclassed the competition, breezing through the tournament without losing a set
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Recent Examples of outclassed
Apples to apples, Boulder outclassed the competition.
—
Bob Marshall, Denver Post, 8 Mar. 2026
The Knicks were again outclassed by the NBA-best Pistons — this time at Madison Square Garden — in a 126-111 loss on Thursday night as Detroit completed a decisive regular-season sweep.
—Peter Sblendorio, New York Daily News, 20 Feb. 2026
When the buzzer mercifully sounded, the box score made no bones about the fact the Trojans had been outworked and outclassed in almost every facet of the game.
—Ryan Kartje, Los Angeles Times, 19 Feb. 2026
Some pundits predicted he would be outclassed by his more experienced political opponents during the presidential debates.
—John Blake, CNN Money, 17 Feb. 2026
Even with their entire contingent of guards healthy and Bediako getting into the swing, Oats’ team was badly outclassed.
—Jim Root, New York Times, 1 Feb. 2026
Alabama was outclassed one week after an impressive road win over Oklahoma, managing just 151 yards before the meaningless final minutes of this blowout.
—Jackson Thompson, FOXNews.com, 2 Jan. 2026
Alabama was outclassed one week after an impressive road win over Oklahoma, managing just 151 yards before the meaningless final minutes of the Tide’s biggest blowout loss since September 1998.
—Greg Beacham, Chicago Tribune, 2 Jan. 2026
But defensively, Cincinnati faces a tough challenge containing Buffalo’s balanced offense, which thrives on both the run and play-action, and will need to force turnovers or risk being outclassed.
—Ben Verbrugge, MSNBC Newsweek, 7 Dec. 2025
Bob Marshall, Denver Post, 8 Mar. 2026
The Knicks were again outclassed by the NBA-best Pistons — this time at Madison Square Garden — in a 126-111 loss on Thursday night as Detroit completed a decisive regular-season sweep.
—Peter Sblendorio, New York Daily News, 20 Feb. 2026
When the buzzer mercifully sounded, the box score made no bones about the fact the Trojans had been outworked and outclassed in almost every facet of the game.
—Ryan Kartje, Los Angeles Times, 19 Feb. 2026
Some pundits predicted he would be outclassed by his more experienced political opponents during the presidential debates.
—John Blake, CNN Money, 17 Feb. 2026
Even with their entire contingent of guards healthy and Bediako getting into the swing, Oats’ team was badly outclassed.
—Jim Root, New York Times, 1 Feb. 2026
Alabama was outclassed one week after an impressive road win over Oklahoma, managing just 151 yards before the meaningless final minutes of this blowout.
—Jackson Thompson, FOXNews.com, 2 Jan. 2026
Alabama was outclassed one week after an impressive road win over Oklahoma, managing just 151 yards before the meaningless final minutes of the Tide’s biggest blowout loss since September 1998.
—Greg Beacham, Chicago Tribune, 2 Jan. 2026
But defensively, Cincinnati faces a tough challenge containing Buffalo’s balanced offense, which thrives on both the run and play-action, and will need to force turnovers or risk being outclassed.
—Ben Verbrugge, MSNBC Newsweek, 7 Dec. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for outclassed
Verb
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A week before the first round of the conference tournament, the event already surpassed its ticket sales from 2025.—
Lev Akabas,
Sportico.com,
12 Mar. 2026
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Though he's been inconsistent throughout his career, his best stretches have surpassed what McCarthy has shown on the field.—
Anthony Bettin,
CBS News,
12 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Prime Minister Keir Starmer raised the prospect of helping British households with soaring energy bills as oil prices exceeded $100-a-barrel for the first time since 2022, with little sign that the war in Iran is nearing resolution.—
Philip Aldrick,
Bloomberg,
8 Mar. 2026
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As a weekend of intense Santa Ana winds wound down, temperatures neared — or exceeded — all-time highs in Southern California on Sunday.—
Cerys Davies,
Los Angeles Times,
8 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Pittman, 28, eclipsed 1,000 receiving yards in two of his six seasons in Indy but finished with 784 — his fewest since 2020 — last year.—
Peter Sblendorio,
New York Daily News,
9 Mar. 2026
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Both fastballs eclipsed 97 mph.—
Chandler Rome,
New York Times,
7 Mar. 2026
Verb
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In the mornings, a table-service breakfast comes included with the nightly rate for hotel guests, and options include yogurt and granola, eggs Benedict, and oatmeal topped with fruit, plus a selection of coffee or juice.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
11 Mar. 2026
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For a firm texture, press the block between paper towels using a heavy weight, such as a sheet pan topped with a can of tomatoes, for 15 to 30 minutes before cooking.—
Kate Williams,
AJC.com,
10 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Outclassed.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/outclassed. Accessed 14 Mar. 2026.
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