outgrows

Outgrow is a verb meaning to grow too large for something, or to develop beyond something’s capacity, whether physically, emotionally, or socially. The form outgrows is the third-person singular present tense.

Usage of outgrow typically involves a direct object and can refer to literal growth, such as clothing or toys, as well as figurative growth, such as needs, habits, or roles. Examples include: a child outgrows his clothes, the town outgrows its infrastructure, a company outgrows its initial market, or a person outgrows a habit. The phrase can also describe becoming too mature for a phase or activity.

The word is a compound of the prefix out- with grow, and it is used in both literal and figurative contexts. It supports past forms outgrew (simple past) and outgrown (past participle), with outgrows used for present-tense statements about a subject that is currently growing beyond a constraint. For example: The boy outgrows his shoes every year. The organization quickly outgrows its small-office setup.

Related concepts include surpassing or outpacing in development. While similar in sense to outstrip or outcreate in some contexts, outgrow emphasizes growth beyond a boundary or need, often implying a transition to a newer phase or requirement.