as in surpassing
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 outdoing
Next came Unity—conceived, portentously, in the small Canadian town of Swastika—who, outdoing her sister, developed a girlhood crush on Hitler and moved to Germany to serve the Nazis.
—
Rachel Syme, New Yorker, 1 Dec. 2025
Taylor Swift is taking a bow after outdoing everyone — including herself — on the Billboard charts with The Life of a Showgirl this week.
—Hannah Dailey, Billboard, 13 Oct. 2025
The town has long been home to some of the world’s most remarkable ski resorts, each seemingly outdoing the last with grander lobbies, better views, and ever-more attentive service.
—Jordi Lippe-McGraw, Forbes.com, 8 Sep. 2025
Brands large and small spent much of the last 12 months outdoing each other in China, creating immersive experiences that tapped into local culture in a bid to woo aspirational customers, who have only just begun loosening their purse strings in what remains a difficult macro-economic environment.
—Samantha Conti, Footwear News, 3 Sep. 2019
Rachel Syme, New Yorker, 1 Dec. 2025
Taylor Swift is taking a bow after outdoing everyone — including herself — on the Billboard charts with The Life of a Showgirl this week.
—Hannah Dailey, Billboard, 13 Oct. 2025
The town has long been home to some of the world’s most remarkable ski resorts, each seemingly outdoing the last with grander lobbies, better views, and ever-more attentive service.
—Jordi Lippe-McGraw, Forbes.com, 8 Sep. 2025
Brands large and small spent much of the last 12 months outdoing each other in China, creating immersive experiences that tapped into local culture in a bid to woo aspirational customers, who have only just begun loosening their purse strings in what remains a difficult macro-economic environment.
—Samantha Conti, Footwear News, 3 Sep. 2019
Recent Examples of Synonyms for outdoing
Verb
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Pokémon is the world’s highest-grossing media franchise, surpassing even Disney and Star Wars.—
Laura Sharman,
CNN Money,
16 Feb. 2026
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And Gamson’s college buddy Fred Maher, a drummer for Lou Reed, Richard Hell, and the avant-funk band Material, who, like Gartside, saw how the new electronic pop was surpassing the musical adventurousness of his old post-punk comfort zone.—
Andy Cush,
Pitchfork,
15 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Ice accumulations of at least one-tenth of an inch are possible, with localized amounts exceeding one-quarter inch in parts of northern Michigan, according to the Weather Prediction Center winter weather forecast.—
Brandi D. Addison,
USA Today,
17 Feb. 2026
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Some areas could see wind gusts approaching or exceeding 60 mph with relative humidity dropping near or below 10%, creating conditions where fires can spread rapidly.—
Callie Zanandrie,
CBS News,
17 Feb. 2026
Verb
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With current policies and spending, the country’s national debt will surge to 120% of GDP by 2030, eclipsing the previous record of 106% set right after World War II.—
Tristan Bove,
Fortune,
11 Feb. 2026
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Week leading up, the game dominated headlines, alongside and even eclipsing the war.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
8 Feb. 2026
Verb
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This kind of careful pruning is superior to topping, which results in weak and spindly growth and shortens a tree's lifespan.—
Brandee Gruener,
Southern Living,
15 Feb. 2026
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From topping tacos and chips to upgrading burgers and grain bowls, the mealtime opportunities are endless.—
Mariana Best,
Better Homes & Gardens,
15 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Outdoing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/outdoing. Accessed 21 Feb. 2026.
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