outpace

Everyday

1. To go faster than someone or something, so that you get ahead. tree →
2. To grow, rise or improve faster than something else: "Prices outpaced wages." tree →

In the lessons

In sport and races, a runner outpaces the others. In news and economics, one number outpaces another when it grows faster. In stories, a hero may outpace a chasing dog or a wave. It tells the reader who is quicker. Often: outpace the others, easily outpace.

Examples

• The cheetah can outpace any other land animal. tree →
• Mia outpaced the boys on the last lap. tree →
• Our school's reading scores outpaced the rest of the town this year. tree →
• The fox outpaced the hounds and escaped. tree →
• Weeds can outpace the vegetables if you do not pull them. tree →
• The train easily outpaced the cars on the road beside it. tree →

Note

Regular verb: outpaced (one c, no extra e). It needs an object. In maths, if Sam runs 6 metres a second and Ali runs 5, Sam outpaces Ali by 1 metre every second; after 10 seconds Sam is 10 metres ahead.