outranks

Outranks is the third-person singular present tense form of the verb outrank, meaning to surpass someone or something in rank, status, or importance. The term is used across several domains, including organizational hierarchies, competitions, publishing, and search results. A person, team, or document can outrank another when it occupies a higher position in an ordered list or ranking.

Outrank is formed from the prefix out- meaning to exceed and the noun rank. It appears in both formal and informal contexts, with examples such as a company outranking its competitors in market rankings or a page outranking another in a search results list. In sports and politics, rankings are commonly expressed as standings or tables, where a higher rank corresponds to greater perceived merit or achievement.

In search engine optimization, outranking refers to achieving a higher position in search engine results pages for a given query than a competing page. Rankings are determined by complex algorithms that evaluate factors such as content relevance, quality, authority, and user experience. Changes in rankings can occur as engines update algorithms, evaluate new content, or detect changes in website quality.

The verb outrank stems from the general English pattern of combining the prefix out- with rank, to indicate surpassing a rank or position. Its use dates to the Middle English period and has become common in modern English across several domains.

Related terms include outranking, ranking, ranking factors, search engine ranking, and authority. The term is often used descriptively in comparative statements, for example, "Company X outranks Company Y" or "Page A outranks Page B on the query."