outstrips

Outstrips is the third-person singular present tense form of the verb outstrip. It means to surpass or exceed someone or something in amount, degree, speed, or quality. The subject outstrips the object when it performs better, faster, or to a greater extent than what is being compared. The term is commonly used in business, economics, sports, science, and journalism. Typical constructions include: “The company outstrips its rivals in annual growth” and “Demand outstrips supply.”

Etymology and scope: The verb is built from the prefix out- meaning beyond or in excess and an older root linked to pulling ahead. Early uses are nautical or mechanical, referring to overtaking others on the water or on a route, and the sense broadened to general surpassing over time. The word now appears in a wide range of contexts, from quantitative metrics to qualitative judgments.

Usage notes: Outstrip is transitive and usually takes a direct object. It often implies a significant margin of superiority, rather than a marginal difference. It can describe quantitative measures (growth, sales), qualitative judgments (performance, quality), or speed (time, pace). It is similar to synonyms such as surpass, exceed, outpace, or outrun, but it carries the nuance of surpassing by a noticeable margin. In cautious writing, writers may choose milder terms to avoid overstatement.

Examples of use: The new model outstrips the old version in battery life. The region’s population growth outstripped its infrastructure capacity. Investor expectations were outstripped by actual results. See also: surpass, exceed, outpace, outrun.