outnumbered

Outnumbered is an adjective describing a person or group that is smaller in number than an opponent or opposing group in a particular situation. It is also the past participle form of the verb outnumber, meaning to exceed in number. The term appears in many domains, including military, politics, sports, and everyday conflict, to convey a numerical disadvantage rather than skill or quality.

Etymology: The word combines the prefix out- meaning surpass or exceed, with number, reflecting the sense of being exceeded in headcount.

Usage: In sentences, outnumbered describes the state of a person or group: "The garrison was outnumbered by the invaders." It can function predicatively ("They were outnumbered") or attributively ("an outnumbered force"). It is often followed by a comparison, such as "two to one" or "three-to-one." Synonyms include outgunned or in the minority, though they emphasize different aspects. The term is common in journalism and narrative to explain why an outcome favored the numerically larger side.

See also: outnumber, numerical disadvantage, crowd psychology.