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outclass

A1
Rare

Pronunciation

UK

  • /aʊtklˈɑːs/

US

  • /ˈaʊtˌklæs/

Meanings

Verb

  1. to defeat or outplay an opponent by being clearly superior

  2. to be much better than someone or something in quality, skill, or performance

Beyond the definition

Imagine two runners in a race. If one runner keeps finishing far ahead of the other, we can say they outclass their competitor. It means to be clearly better in skill, quality, or performance. You might outclass someone in a game of chess, or a new car model might outclass an older one with better features and fuel efficiency. It is not just about winning; it is about showing a clear gap. Think of it as being in a different league.

Examples

  1. 1

    Sports game

    Their team outclassed us in the second half.

  2. 2

    Boxing

    The young boxer was clearly outclassed by the champion.

  3. 3

    Design competition

    Her design outclassed the other entries in the competition.

  4. 4

    Product comparison

    The new phone outclasses its rivals in battery life and camera quality.

More examples
  1. 5

    Experience gap

    I felt completely outclassed at the meeting because everyone else had years of experience.

See also

Similar

Shades of meaning

Contrast

  • be inferior to
  • fall short of

Used with (collocations)

  • outclass the competition
  • be outclassed by
  • completely outclass

Word family

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Forms and spellings

4 forms open this card.

Main spelling

  • outclassverb

Forms

  • outclassedpast tenseverb
  • outclassing-ing formverb
  • outclassesverb