as in surpassed
to be greater, better, or stronger than
two vaccine developers who spent years vigorously trying to outdo one another's research
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Recent Examples of outdid
Of course, Carly’s kitsch far outdid her neighbors’ in its oddness, luridness, lavishness.
—
Olivia Kan-Sperling, Artforum, 2 May 2026
Somehow, though, the Royals outdid themselves Monday night with a nauseating defeat — one that conjured the immortal wisdom of former Royals manager Buddy Bell.
—Kansas City Star, 21 Apr. 2026
In an administration full of SNL cold opens waiting to happen, Pete Hegseth really outdid himself this week — and Colin Jost wasn’t even in the room.
—Dominic Patten, Deadline, 16 Apr. 2026
With its substantial political resources and $22 million in spending — perhaps even more — AIPAC far outdid other groups in outside spending in Black and underserved communities.
—Jesse Jackson Jr, Chicago Tribune, 2 Apr. 2026
James outdid himself later in the same game against Cleveland — taking flight to slam a lob from Austin Reaves.
—Megan Armstrong, MSNBC Newsweek, 1 Apr. 2026
When, in 1941, Rodin performed in an evening of Shakespeare scenes, the émigré newspaper Aufbau raved that his Puck outdid Rooney’s.
—Alex Ross, New Yorker, 14 Mar. 2026
Basically, Bath & Body and Disney really outdid themselves on this collab.
—Katie Decker-Jacoby, StyleCaster, 11 Feb. 2026
Each day somehow outdid the last.
—Sandy Pierre, Refinery29, 29 Jan. 2026
Olivia Kan-Sperling, Artforum, 2 May 2026
Somehow, though, the Royals outdid themselves Monday night with a nauseating defeat — one that conjured the immortal wisdom of former Royals manager Buddy Bell.
—Kansas City Star, 21 Apr. 2026
In an administration full of SNL cold opens waiting to happen, Pete Hegseth really outdid himself this week — and Colin Jost wasn’t even in the room.
—Dominic Patten, Deadline, 16 Apr. 2026
With its substantial political resources and $22 million in spending — perhaps even more — AIPAC far outdid other groups in outside spending in Black and underserved communities.
—Jesse Jackson Jr, Chicago Tribune, 2 Apr. 2026
James outdid himself later in the same game against Cleveland — taking flight to slam a lob from Austin Reaves.
—Megan Armstrong, MSNBC Newsweek, 1 Apr. 2026
When, in 1941, Rodin performed in an evening of Shakespeare scenes, the émigré newspaper Aufbau raved that his Puck outdid Rooney’s.
—Alex Ross, New Yorker, 14 Mar. 2026
Basically, Bath & Body and Disney really outdid themselves on this collab.
—Katie Decker-Jacoby, StyleCaster, 11 Feb. 2026
Each day somehow outdid the last.
—Sandy Pierre, Refinery29, 29 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for outdid
Verb
-
Seven decades later that number has climbed to seventy-three, while those in the richest nations have surpassed an average of over fourscore years, a number the Bible reserves for only the most vigorous among us.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
11 June 2026
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What made this system truly revolutionary was the demonstration in 2012 that it could be reprogrammed with different pieces of guide RNA to edit virtually any genome in any species, and at a level of precision and ease that far surpassed existing gene-editing tools.—
Quanta Magazine,
Quanta Magazine,
11 June 2026
Verb
-
Twice in the ‘70s, total volume exceeded one million acre-feet.—
Allen Best,
Denver Post,
14 June 2026
-
Now, more than a year after bringing the project to life, DeCarlo says the investment has exceeded expectations.—
Tereza Shkurtaj,
PEOPLE,
13 June 2026
Verb
-
New York had never trailed by more than 22 points in these playoffs, but that mark has been eclipsed three times already by San Antonio, which has led by 23, 24 and now 25 points in a jaw-dropping performance.—
Andrew Greif,
NBC news,
11 June 2026
-
Those matchups and the Ole Miss game all handily eclipsed 2024’s highest sales game (Tennessee, $762K).—
Tyler Estep,
AJC.com,
10 June 2026
Verb
-
Afterward, locals recommend stopping at Lake Hollywood Park for fresh fruit topped with Tajín and chamoy.—
Alia Beard Rau,
USA Today,
10 June 2026
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The sleek blue aluminum hull is topped by a low, streamlined superstructure made of Brazilian teak and twin towering masts.—
Rachel Cormack,
Robb Report,
9 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Outdid.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/outdid. Accessed 16 Jun. 2026.
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