outgrow
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
to reach a size or age where clothes, shoes, a room, or a piece of equipment that once fitted you no longer does.
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
Aoi soon outgrew her first ballet shoes and asked for a larger size.
Lucas found he had outgrown the small desk his parents bought when he was eight.
- grow out of
more conversational; used especially for clothes and phases
- become too big for
literal and descriptive, less concise
文法句型
outgrow + noun phrase (clothes, space, container)
用法筆記
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.
常見錯誤
2. to stop enjoying or taking part in an activity, hobby, or way of thinking becaus
to stop enjoying or taking part in an activity, hobby, or way of thinking because you have grown older and your tastes have changed.
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
Sofie thought she had outgrown pop music, but the concert brought back school memories.
Dewi outgrew her love of animated films after starting high school and began watching documentaries.
- grow out of
more common in everyday spoken English
- leave behind
emphasises the act of abandoning rather than the natural fading of interest
- take up
to start a new interest or activity
文法句型
outgrow + noun phrase (activity, interest, phase)
用法筆記
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.
常見錯誤
3. to expand or increase at a faster speed than someone or something else, especial
to expand or increase at a faster speed than someone or something else, especially in business, population, or economic contexts.
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.
Ignacio's IT firm outgrew the city centre office and moved to a larger suburban building.
The start-up outgrew its early business model within two years and had to restructure completely.
- lag behind
to grow more slowly than
文法句型
outgrow + noun phrase (competitor, market, capacity)
用法筆記
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.