Synonym Chooser

How does the verb outstrip contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of outstrip are exceed, excel, outdo, surpass, and transcend. While all these words mean "to go or be beyond a stated or implied limit, measure, or degree," outstrip suggests surpassing in a race or competition.

outstripped other firms in sales

When is exceed a more appropriate choice than outstrip?

Although the words exceed and outstrip have much in common, exceed implies going beyond a limit set by authority or established by custom or by prior achievement.

exceed the speed limit

When would excel be a good substitute for outstrip?

In some situations, the words excel and outstrip are roughly equivalent. However, excel implies preeminence in achievement or quality and may suggest superiority to all others.

excels in mathematics

Where would outdo be a reasonable alternative to outstrip?

While the synonyms outdo and outstrip are close in meaning, outdo applies to a bettering or exceeding what has been done before.

outdid herself this time

When might surpass be a better fit than outstrip?

The meanings of surpass and outstrip largely overlap; however, surpass suggests superiority in quality, merit, or skill.

the book surpassed our expectations

When can transcend be used instead of outstrip?

The words transcend and outstrip can be used in similar contexts, but transcend implies a rising or extending notably above or beyond ordinary limits.

transcended the values of their culture

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of outstrip Iran faces water bankruptcy, with demand far outstripping supply. Nik Kowsar, Time, 2 Oct. 2025 Over the past 25 years, the acceleration of gene-sequencing tech has vastly outstripped any improvements in computational technology, either in memory or speed of processors. IEEE Spectrum, 2 Oct. 2025 But similar to how the internet story played out in the 1990s, near-term expectations for AI may have outstripped reality. Hugh Son, CNBC, 30 Sep. 2025 Demand always vastly outstrips supply — in the 2025 fiscal year lottery, more than 470,000 people applied. Bloomberg, Mercury News, 22 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for outstrip
Recent Examples of Synonyms for outstrip
Verb
  • In a statement on Friday, the Chinese Embassy in Chile said that China strengthens supervision of the country's deep-sea fishing by conducting 24-hour monitoring of its vessels and requiring them to report their positions hourly, far exceeding international standards.
    Ryan Chan, MSNBC Newsweek, 13 Oct. 2025
  • Liu Yi Media, founded in 2022 by author Mo Jian Shao Ye, produces over 20 original short dramas a month and holds a library exceeding 500 titles.
    Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 13 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • The Jaguars haven’t allowed a runner to surpass 60 yards this season.
    Ted Nguyen, New York Times, 11 Oct. 2025
  • Admissions have not only bounced back but surpassed pre-pandemic levels, despite a dramatic decrease in live-action box office.
    Christopher Vourlias, Variety, 10 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • Calvin Austin, who continues to nurse a shoulder injury that forced him to miss the team's Week 6 game, is the only other wide receiver to eclipse 100 receiving yards on the season.
    Reice Shipley, MSNBC Newsweek, 13 Oct. 2025
  • New York — Build-A-Bear Workshop, the nearly 30-year-old toy brand, is having a breakout moment, eclipsing some of Wall Street’s biggest winners by targeting customers across a broad age range.
    Vanessa Yurkevich, CNN Money, 10 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • Studies that compare genetic variation between pairs of siblings have been able to better control for socioeconomic backgrounds, as well as parenting practices and ethnicities; in these studies, the direct effects of DNA on IQ look even smaller, still with no hint of a biological mechanism.
    Eric Turkheimer, The Atlantic, 13 Oct. 2025
  • Meanwhile, majorities said the Republican president has definitely or probably not improved the functioning of government (59%) or bettered the nation’s standing on the world stage (60%).
    Brendan Rascius, Miami Herald, 9 Oct. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Outstrip.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/outstrip. Accessed 18 Oct. 2025.

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