auswachsen

Auswachsen is a German verb meaning to grow out, to outgrow, or to grow beyond a former limit. It can refer to physical growth, such as a plant outgrowing its container or clothing becoming too small or long, as well as to figurative growth, for example when a person or a habit leaves a younger stage or an earlier behavior behind. The prefix aus- signals outward growth or leaving a boundary, and the verb is used in both literal and metaphorical contexts. In many contexts it is used with the sense of maturation, often in phrases like outgrowing childhood.

Grammatically, ausgewachsen is a form of an intransitive verb that typically takes sein in the perfect tense, for example, Der Junge ist ausgewachsen. In the present tense, a form like wächst aus is possible in clauses with a directional sense, but more commonly one uses the simple past or the perfect with a noun phrase, e.g., Die Pflanze ist aus dem Topf ausgewachsen. Figurative uses often employ a similar structure, as in Die Familie ist aus dem Kindesalter herausgewachsen.

Common usages include both concrete and abstract outgrowths: Die Pflanze ist aus dem Topf ausgewachsen; Die Kinder wachsen aus ihren Kleidern heraus; Sie ist inzwischen aus dem Alter herausgewachsen. Related terms include heranwachsen (to grow up) and aus dem Kindesalter herauswachsen (to grow out of childhood). The verb is widely used in everyday German and is considered neutral in tone.