outgrow
verb
out·grow
ˌau̇t-ˈgrō 
outgrew
ˌau̇t-ˈgrü
; outgrown
ˌau̇t-ˈgrōn
; outgrowing
; outgrown
ˌau̇t-ˈgrōn
; outgrowing
1
: to grow or increase faster than
… mankind is outgrowing food supplies.—
R. C. Murphy
R. C. Murphy2
: to grow too large or too mature for
outgrew his best suit
the need to outgrow the habit of war—Norman Cousins
Norman CousinsExamples 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
For many experienced professionals, a career pivot is a response to outgrowing an earlier definition of success.
—Cheryl Robinson, Forbes.com, 13 June 2026
Also, pay attention to the plant tag and read it to get an idea of the plant's mature size; many shrub varieties become quite large and outgrow their spaces, so look for dwarf types that have been bred to stay more compact.
—Arricca Elin Sansone, Southern Living, 12 June 2026
But SpaceX’s ambitions have outgrown its balance sheet.
—Lily Mae Lazarus, Fortune, 12 June 2026
By age 16, most children tend to outgrow their egg allergy and by adulthood, the allergy is less common.
—Jacqueline Howard, CNN Money, 8 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for outgrow
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Cheryl Robinson, Forbes.com, 13 June 2026
Also, pay attention to the plant tag and read it to get an idea of the plant's mature size; many shrub varieties become quite large and outgrow their spaces, so look for dwarf types that have been bred to stay more compact.
—Arricca Elin Sansone, Southern Living, 12 June 2026
But SpaceX’s ambitions have outgrown its balance sheet.
—Lily Mae Lazarus, Fortune, 12 June 2026
By age 16, most children tend to outgrow their egg allergy and by adulthood, the allergy is less common.
—Jacqueline Howard, CNN Money, 8 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for outgrow
Cite this Entry
“Outgrow.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/outgrow. Accessed 17 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
outgrow
verb
out·grow
(ˈ)au̇t-ˈgrō
1
: to grow faster than
2
: to grow too large or too mature for
outgrew their clothes
outgrow playing with dolls
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