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
As demand has grown – along with the cruise line’s ships and fleet – the company has outgrown the current program, according to Carnival President Christine Duffy.
—Nathan Diller, USA Today, 19 June 2025
In 1979, the restaurant had outgrown its 27-seat capacity and the team decided to move it to a bigger space on Claremont Avenue in Oakland.
—Jim Harrington, Mercury News, 18 June 2025
As Prairie Village has expanded, the city workforce has outgrown its buildings — with employees working out of former closets, residents standing in the hallways for public meetings and the police department running out of evidence storage space.
—Taylor O’Connor, Kansas City Star, 17 June 2025
Tree House outgrew that spot as well with lines stretching for hours just to buy to-go beer, especially of their New England style IPAs.
—Em Sauter, Forbes.com, 15 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for outgrow
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.
Nathan Diller, USA Today, 19 June 2025
In 1979, the restaurant had outgrown its 27-seat capacity and the team decided to move it to a bigger space on Claremont Avenue in Oakland.
—Jim Harrington, Mercury News, 18 June 2025
As Prairie Village has expanded, the city workforce has outgrown its buildings — with employees working out of former closets, residents standing in the hallways for public meetings and the police department running out of evidence storage space.
—Taylor O’Connor, Kansas City Star, 17 June 2025
Tree House outgrew that spot as well with lines stretching for hours just to buy to-go beer, especially of their New England style IPAs.
—Em Sauter, Forbes.com, 15 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for outgrow
Cite this Entry
“Outgrow.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/outgrow. Accessed 24 Jun. 2025.
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
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share