outgrow

verb

out·​grow ˌau̇t-ˈgrō How to pronounce outgrow (audio)
outgrew ˌau̇t-ˈgrü How to pronounce outgrow (audio) ; outgrown ˌau̇t-ˈgrōn How to pronounce outgrow (audio) ; outgrowing

transitive verb

1
: to grow or increase faster than
mankind is outgrowing food suppliesR. C. Murphy
2
: to grow too large or too mature for
outgrew his best suit
the need to outgrow the habit of warNorman Cousins

Examples of outgrow in a Sentence

Kids outgrow their clothes so quickly. The plant has outgrown my garden. Our business is outgrowing its small office building. She's outgrown most of her toys. I realized that I had outgrown my old high school friends.
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
What happens when your child outgrows their old car seat? Charles Singh, USA Today, 22 Sep. 2025 Combine a heavy dose of paranoia with players outgrowing his rigid fatherly message, and now Malone is talking about games for a living. Troy Renck, Denver Post, 18 Sep. 2025 Some workers volunteer for additional responsibilities while firmly maintaining their current positions, and others who have clearly outgrown their roles remain stuck due to market fears. Kara Dennison, Forbes.com, 16 Sep. 2025 Under it, a Led Zeppelin T-shirt handed down from my teen-age son, who outgrew it. Rachel Kushner, New Yorker, 14 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for outgrow

Word History

First Known Use

1597, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of outgrow was in 1597

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Cite this Entry

“Outgrow.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/outgrow. Accessed 23 Sep. 2025.

Kids Definition

outgrow

verb
out·​grow (ˈ)au̇t-ˈgrō How to pronounce outgrow (audio)
outgrew -ˈgrü How to pronounce outgrow (audio) ; outgrown -ˈgrōn How to pronounce outgrow (audio) ; outgrowing
1
: to grow faster than
2
: to grow too large or too mature for
outgrew their clothes
outgrow playing with dolls

More from Merriam-Webster on outgrow

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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