Dictionary

outgrow en · VERB

Pronunciation

• /ˌɑʊtˈɡɹoʊ/ (US)
• (Southern-England) audio
• /ˌaʊtˈɡɹəʊ/ (UK)

Etymology

Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *úd Proto-Germanic *ūt Proto-Germanic *ūt- Old English ūt- Middle English ut- English out- English grow English outgrow From out- + grow.

Meanings

1. (figuratively, often, transitive) To become too big in size or too mature in age or outlook to continue to want, need, use, experience, or accept some object, practice, condition, belief, etc.
   • Some people blame God for their troubles, but one must outgrow such notions.
   • I used to have allergies but I outgrew all of them.
   • Poorer children often have to wear whatever an older sibling has outgrown.
   • “I think you've outgrown Bonnie,” he said as he drove. […] “Bonnie and I have known each other forever,” I said simply. “Doesn't mean you have to be friends forever.” 2022, Ling Ma, “G”, in Bliss Montage, New York: Farrar, Straus and Giroux, →ISBN:
   • This was definitely to be the station, one which would cater for all needs for years to come. But it was evident within the next few years that Johannesburg would once again outgrow its newest station. 1958 September 14, C. Alan Cook, “Johannesburg's Fourth Station”, in Railway Magazine, page 640:
   • […]Most persons are collectors at some periods of their lives. Some outgrow the habit; with others it becomes a mania; and with still others it is a lasting habit intelligently planned as one aspect of a study of a particular subject. 1941 January, “Railway Literature”, in Railway Magazine, page 48:
2. (transitive) To grow faster or larger than.
   • The best adapted plant varieties tend to outgrow those less adapted.

Forms

Deriveds

outgrowth

Synonyms

grow out of

Translations (22)

fi kasvaa isommaksi (to grow faster or taller than someone or something else) · bg надраствам (to become too big or mature for some object, practice, condition, belief, etc) · es ultracrecer (to grow faster or taller than someone or something else) · fi kasvaa nopeammin (to grow faster or taller than someone or something else) · pl wyrosnąć (to become too big or mature for some object, practice, condition, belief, etc) · fi kasvaa ulos (to become too big or mature for some object, practice, condition, belief, etc) · it superare (to become too big or mature for some object, practice, condition, belief, etc) · fr dépasser (to become too big or mature for some object, practice, condition, belief, etc) · pl przerastać (to grow faster or taller than someone or something else) · es superar (to grow faster or taller than someone or something else) · hu kinő (to become too big or mature for some object, practice, condition, belief, etc) · nl ontgroeien (to become too big or mature for some object, practice, condition, belief, etc) · it superare (to grow faster or taller than someone or something else) · nl ontgroeien (to grow faster or taller than someone or something else) · pl przerosnąć (to grow faster or taller than someone or something else) · nl ontwassen (to become too big or mature for some object, practice, condition, belief, etc) · pl wyrastać (to become too big or mature for some object, practice, condition, belief, etc) · es exceder (to grow faster or taller than someone or something else) · fi kasvaa pois (to become too big or mature for some object, practice, condition, belief, etc) · es supracrecer (to grow faster or taller than someone or something else) · es extracrecer (to grow faster or taller than someone or something else) · pt superar (to become too big or mature for some object, practice, condition, belief, etc)