Outdo
What it means
To perform better than a previous effort or rival.
Reach for it when describing an effort that exceeds another person or an earlier achievement
Each apprentice tried to outdo the care shown in the previous repair.
Words to choose between 6
| playful | |
|---|---|
| everyday |
|
| warm | |
| professional | |
| formal | |
| literary |
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playful
Fits when informal competition with a prior result is intended
Careful Top is vague without a measure.
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everyday
Fits when one attempt improves directly on another
Careful Better as a verb can sound unusual in some contexts.
-
warm
Fits when conspicuous excellence deserves praise
Careful Outshining can center attention rather than substance.
-
professional
exceed
Fits when a numerical expectation or limit is crossed
Careful Exceed does not necessarily imply higher quality.
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formal
Fits when a result exceeds a stated benchmark
Careful Surpass is more neutral and less competitive.
-
literary
eclipse
Fits when one achievement makes the comparison seem minor
Careful The metaphor is dramatic and potentially belittling.
Opposites 3
- underperform
- fall short of
- trail
Common phrases 3
-
tried to outdo
Each apprentice tried to outdo their own previous repair.
-
outdo oneself
The baker managed to outdo herself with a lighter festival loaf.
-
hard to outdo
The volunteers' welcome would be hard to outdo.
Usage notes
Keep in mind
Outdo can turn praise into rivalry; compare a person with their own prior work when that is the healthier frame.
Definitions and examples are written for this site. How words are chosen Recording: Vealhurl, Southern England accent, from Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0 Updated