outpace

American

[out-peys] / ˌaʊtˈpeɪs /

verb (used with object)

outpaced, outpacing

to surpass or exceed, as in speed, development, or performance.

a company that has consistently outpaced the competition in sales.

outpace British

/ aʊtˈpeɪs /

verb

to run or move faster than (someone or something else)

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of outpace

First recorded in 1565–75; out- + pace ¹

Explanation

To outpace is to move faster or to improve more quickly than someone else. A runner who outpaces everyone else will win the race. You can brag that your bicycle outpaces your friend's motorcycle, or comment that a six year-old easily outpaces her little brother at the playground. There are also companies that outpace their competition, by developing a new technology or product faster. Economists often talk about prices, sales, or growth that outpaces previous examples.

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Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

The company raised its sales outlook in its most recent earnings report, while saying demand for AI continues to outpace supply.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 31, 2026

Anthropic’s latest model “presages an upcoming wave of models that can exploit vulnerabilities in ways that far outpace the efforts of defenders,” the company said in the leaked documents obtained by Fortune.

From Barron's • Mar. 27, 2026

Granted, a 3% annual increase in payments doesn’t guarantee you’ll outpace inflation — but it comes pretty darn close.

From MarketWatch • Mar. 26, 2026

“Despite our best efforts, they’ve been able to just outpace us, and they’re now in every city and community within our district,” and all of Southern California, Vetrone said.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 22, 2026

There was no point in trying to outpace the CCD boat; they’d have to hide, and the only hiding place in sight was a wooded hill with an overgrown grassy space just above the waterline.

From "The Book of Dust: La Belle Sauvage" by Philip Pullman

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023