Outdo
v.capable, energeticeveryday
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.
Choose between these
6- playful
informal competition with a prior result is intended
not when Top is vague without a measure.
- everyday
one attempt improves directly on another
not when Better as a verb can sound unusual in some contexts.
- warm
conspicuous excellence deserves praise
not when Outshining can center attention rather than substance.
- professional
exceed
a numerical expectation or limit is crossed
not when Exceed does not necessarily imply higher quality.
- formal
a result exceeds a stated benchmark
not when Surpass is more neutral and less competitive.
- literary
eclipse
one achievement makes the comparison seem minor
not when The metaphor is dramatic and potentially belittling.
Said against
3- underperform
- fall short of
- trail
It naturally appears in
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.
Where this comes from
Outdo can turn praise into rivalry; compare a person with their own prior work when that is the healthier frame.
- wiktionary, English verb, surpass in performance or achievement sense opens in a new tab · retrieved 2026-07-27
The definition and the example on this page are written here. The dictionaries above ground which meaning is being described, not the wording.