OUTDO Synonyms: 56 Similar and Opposite Words

Q: How does the verb 'outdo' contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of outdo are exceed , excel , outstrip , surpass , and transcend . While all these words mean "to go or be beyond a stated or implied limit, measure, or degree," outdo applies to a bettering or exceeding what has been done before. // outdid herself this time

Q: When would 'exceed' be a good substitute for 'outdo'?

The words exceed and outdo are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, exceed implies going beyond a limit set by authority or established by custom or by prior achievement. // exceed the speed limit

Q: When could 'excel' be used to replace 'outdo'?

In some situations, the words excel and outdo are roughly equivalent. However, excel implies preeminence in achievement or quality and may suggest superiority to all others. // excels in mathematics

Q: When can 'outstrip' be used instead of 'outdo'?

The meanings of outstrip and outdo largely overlap; however, outstrip suggests surpassing in a race or competition. // outstripped other firms in sales

Q: When is it sensible to use 'surpass' instead of 'outdo'?

While the synonyms surpass and outdo are close in meaning, surpass suggests superiority in quality, merit, or skill. // the book surpassed our expectations

Q: When might 'transcend' be a better fit than 'outdo'?

The synonyms transcend and outdo are sometimes interchangeable, but transcend implies a rising or extending notably above or beyond ordinary limits. // transcended the values of their culture

outdo

verb

ˌau̇t-ˈdü

Definition of outdo next

as in to surpass

to be greater, better, or stronger than two vaccine developers who spent years vigorously trying to outdo one another's research

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

lose (to)

Synonym Chooser

How does the verb outdo contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of outdo are exceed, excel, outstrip, surpass, and transcend. While all these words mean "to go or be beyond a stated or implied limit, measure, or degree," outdo applies to a bettering or exceeding what has been done before.

outdid herself this time

When would exceed be a good substitute for outdo?

The words exceed and outdo are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, exceed implies going beyond a limit set by authority or established by custom or by prior achievement.

exceed the speed limit

When could excel be used to replace outdo?

In some situations, the words excel and outdo are roughly equivalent. However, excel implies preeminence in achievement or quality and may suggest superiority to all others.

excels in mathematics

When can outstrip be used instead of outdo?

The meanings of outstrip and outdo largely overlap; however, outstrip suggests surpassing in a race or competition.

outstripped other firms in sales

When is it sensible to use surpass instead of outdo?

While the synonyms surpass and outdo are close in meaning, surpass suggests superiority in quality, merit, or skill.

the book surpassed our expectations

When might transcend be a better fit than outdo?

The synonyms transcend and outdo are sometimes interchangeable, but transcend implies a rising or extending notably above or beyond ordinary limits.

transcended the values of their culture

Example Sentences

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.

Recent Examples of outdo Not to be outdone, David Bailey, CEO of BTC Inc. and key contributor to the Trump administration’s bitcoin strategy, targets a price of $1 million per coin within four years. —

Dave Birnbaum, Forbes, 23 Jan. 2025 Dove, not to be outdone, teamed up with Crumbl Cookies to launch a limited-edition lineup of soaps, scrubs, and deodorants in Strawberry Crumb Cake, Lemon Glaze, and Confetti Cake. —

Boutayna Chokrane, WIRED, 18 Jan. 2025 The Outer Banks North Carolina may have impressive mountain scenery, but its 3,375 miles of coastline refuse to be outdone. —

Lydia Mansel, Southern Living, 17 Jan. 2025 By this point, Syrians had already faced horror after horror, each one somehow seeming to try to outdo the last. —

Alia Malek, New York Times, 17 Jan. 2025 See all Example Sentences for outdo

Recent Examples of Synonyms for outdo

Verb

In Denmark, where Season 1 surpassed its prime-time slot average by 31%, a second season is set to launch later this month.

— Jesse Whittock, Deadline, 14 Feb. 2025
Passenger traffic at Midway had surpassed pre-pandemic levels.

— Sarah Freishtat, Chicago Tribune, 13 Feb. 2025