outgrow

IPA/ˌaʊtˈɡrəʊ/
KK[ˌaʊtɡrˈo]IPA/ˌaʊtˈɡrəʊ/

outgrow — verb

  • outgrowpresent simple I / you / we / they
  • outgrowshe / she / it
  • outgrewpast simple
  • outgrownpast participle
  • outgrowing-ing form

1. to reach a size or age where clothes, shoes, a room, or a piece of equipment tha

1.verbtransitiveB2
Definition

to reach a size or age where clothes, shoes, a room, or a piece of equipment that once fitted you no longer does.

Example

Tyler had outgrown his school uniform by the start of the autumn term.

outgrow + clothing (physical size)

The Watanabe family outgrew their small apartment after the third child was born.

outgrow + living space

Common collocations
  • outgrow clothes
  • outgrow shoes
  • outgrow a room
  • outgrow a bed
  • outgrow a uniform
Synonyms

Grammar Patterns

outgrow + noun phrase (clothes, space, container)

Usage Note

Commonly used with items that have a fixed size (clothes, shoes, rooms, beds). In everyday speech, 'grow out of' is often used instead of 'outgrow' for clothing.

Common Mistakes

The child outgrew quickly.
The child outgrew his shoes quickly.
'outgrow' is always transitive; it needs a direct object.

2. to stop enjoying or taking part in an activity, hobby, or way of thinking becaus

2.verbtransitiveB2
Definition

to stop enjoying or taking part in an activity, hobby, or way of thinking because you have grown older and your tastes have changed.

Example

Noa had outgrown her childhood habit of collecting shells by the time she turned fourteen.

outgrow + childhood habit

Arjun outgrew his passion for comic books in his late teens and turned to novels.

outgrow + passion / interest

Common collocations
  • outgrow a habit
  • outgrow a hobby
  • outgrow an interest
  • outgrow a phase
  • outgrow a childhood activity
Synonyms
  • grow out of

    more common in everyday spoken English

  • leave behind

    emphasises the act of abandoning rather than the natural fading of interest

Antonyms
  • take up

    to start a new interest or activity

Grammar Patterns

outgrow + noun phrase (activity, interest, phase)

Usage Note

This sense often implies a natural, gradual change rather than a sudden decision. It is typically used with activities or interests that belong to childhood or adolescence.

Common Mistakes

I outgrew playing the piano because it was too hard.
I outgrew my interest in playing the piano as I got older.
'outgrow' should connect to age or maturity, not simple difficulty.

3. to expand or increase at a faster speed than someone or something else, especial

3.verbtransitiveC1
Definition

to expand or increase at a faster speed than someone or something else, especially in business, population, or economic contexts.

Example

The small bakery outgrew its local competitors within three years thanks to an innovative recipe.

outgrow + competitor (business context)

The city's population has outgrown its water supply, forcing officials to build a new reservoir.

Common collocations
  • outgrow competitors
  • outgrow a market
  • outgrow capacity
  • outgrow infrastructure
  • outgrow supply
Synonyms
  • outstrip

    more precise in competitive growth contexts

  • surpass

    broader meaning, not limited to growth

  • overtake

    emphasises catching up and then going past

Antonyms

Grammar Patterns

outgrow + noun phrase (competitor, market, capacity)

Usage Note

In business writing, 'outgrow' can describe a company expanding faster than its infrastructure or competitors. This sense is less common than senses 1 and 2 in everyday speech.

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: verb/1

'Outgrow' and 'grow out of' are the most natural choices when talking about clothes or objects that no longer fit. 'Grow out of' is more common in casual conversation (e.g., 'She grew out of those jeans quickly'), while 'outgrow' feels slightly more formal or written. 'Become too big for' is more literal and descriptive — it rarely sounds natural for abstract uses like phases or interests. For example, you could say 'He became too big for the old desk', but 'He outgrew the old desk' sounds more fluent. 'Outgrow' is the only one of the three that works comfortably in senses 2 and 3 (interests and competitive growth), so it is the most versatile verb in this group.

outgrow ↗grow out of ↗become too big for

Common collocations

Nouns

Adverbs

Phrases

Etymology

Old EnglishMiddle EnglishModern English

'Outgrow' is formed from the Old English prefix 'ūt-' (meaning 'beyond, outside') and the verb 'growan' (to grow). The sense of 'growing too big for something' dates from the late 1500s, while the metaphorical meaning of 'losing interest with age' emerged in the 1800s. The competitive meaning of 'growing faster than' became common in business writing in the 1900s.

First known use

1597

1597, in the meaning defined at sense 1