Word
outdo
Phoneticsout·do, stress on the second syllable
US/ˌaʊtˈdu/
UK/aʊtdˈuː/
Irregular verb
Forms
Infinitive
outdo
Past
outdid
Past participle
outdone
Definition
v. to do something better or more successfully than someone else. You use this when you want to show that you are the best at a task.
v. to surpass or exceed another in quality, quantity, or achievement. Transitive — requires a direct object representing the person or thing being compared.
Examples
“She tried to outdo her brother in the science fair.”
“The rival company tried to outdo our marketing campaign by offering even more discounts to customers.”
“In a culture that values individual achievement, many students feel pressured to outdo their peers by taking on increasingly difficult extracurricular activities.”
Examples
simple
“She tried to outdo her brother in the science fair.”
contextual
“The rival company tried to outdo our marketing campaign by offering even more discounts to customers.”
complex
“In a culture that values individual achievement, many students feel pressured to outdo their peers by taking on increasingly difficult extracurricular activities.”
Etymology
From out- + do.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Word family
VERB
NOUN
ADJECTIVE
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.B2 FirstIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.5.5–6.5TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 4.0–4.572–94TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.785–944
- Frequency
- Occasional
- Level
- B2 · Upper Intermediate
- Updated
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QR code
englishreference.com/q/outdo