outweighs

Outweighs is the third-person singular present tense form of the verb outweigh. It describes a situation in which one factor is deemed more significant, valuable, or influential than another. In debates, policy analysis, and everyday decision making, saying that the benefits outweigh the costs means they are judged to be greater than the drawbacks.

Origin: the compound of out- and weigh. Weigh itself traces back to Old English and other Germanic roots, with the sense of measuring weight broadening metaphorically to mean superiority in importance or impact. The modern sense of surpassing or being of greater importance developed through usage over time.

Usage and examples: the word is commonly followed by a comparison, as in “the benefits outweigh the costs” or “the advantages outweigh the disadvantages.” It can apply to risks, burdens, opportunities, or ethical considerations. It is frequent in formal writing, policy discussions, and analytical argumentation, but also appears in ordinary speech. For example, “In this plan, the expected gains outweigh the potential risks.”

Grammar and style notes: subject-verb agreement follows standard English rules. With a singular subject, use outweighs (the plan outweighs the costs); with a plural subject, use outweigh (the costs outweigh the benefits). Related concepts include exceed, surpass, and outbalance, which express similar notions of relative importance in different contexts. See also weigh, cost-benefit analysis, and risk assessment.