outrun

outrun — verb

1. to go ahead of a person, animal, or thing because you are moving faster and can

1.verbtransitiveB2
Definition

to go ahead of a person, animal, or thing because you are moving faster and can stay in front.

Example

Mia outran her brother on the last hill.

pattern: outrun + person

The small boat outran the storm and reached the harbor.

inanimate subject: outrun a storm

Common collocations
  • outrun the police
  • outrun a storm
  • outrun the pack
  • outrun danger
  • outrun traffic
Synonyms
  • outpace

    slightly broader, because it is also very common for progress or growth

  • overtake

    focuses on catching up and passing, not necessarily keeping a clear lead

  • leave behind

    more general and less exact about speed

Antonyms

Grammar Patterns

outrun + person/animal

outrun + vehicle/danger

Usage Note

Usually takes a person, animal, vehicle, or danger as its object. Distinguish from sense 2, where both subject and object are more often abstract things such as prices, demand, or technology.

Common Mistakes

Mia outran from her brother.
Mia outran her brother.
'outrun' takes a direct object, not 'from'.
The bus outran to the rain.
The bus outran the rain.
put the thing you moved ahead of directly after the verb.

2. to grow, spread, or change so fast that another thing cannot keep up with it.

2.verbtransitiveC1
Definition

to grow, spread, or change so fast that another thing cannot keep up with it.

Example

By noon, orders at Mei's bakery had outrun the staff's packing speed.

figurative: orders outrun staff capacity

At Rosa's cafe, milk prices are outrunning her weekly earnings.

figurative: prices outrun earnings

Common collocations
  • outrun demand
  • outrun supply
  • outrun inflation
  • outrun wage growth
  • outrun the budget
Synonyms
  • outpace

    the closest everyday choice for growth, progress, or change

  • surpass

    broader and less tied to the idea of faster development

  • overtake

    often used when one figure catches up with and then passes another

Antonyms
  • trail

    to remain behind another figure or trend

  • fall behind

    to fail to keep up with growth or change

Grammar Patterns

outrun + demand/supply

outrun + prices/growth/change

Usage Note

Common with abstract subjects and objects such as prices, demand, costs, technology, or population. Distinguish from sense 1, where the comparison is about physical movement and staying ahead in space.

Common Mistakes

Prices outran than wages this year.
Prices outran wages this year.
do not use 'than' after 'outrun'.
Technology outran of the law.
Technology outran the law.
'outrun' takes a direct object in this sense too.

Synonym discussion

Sense: verb/1

'Outrun' is used when speed lets someone or something stay ahead of another runner, vehicle, animal, or danger. 'Outpace' is very close, but it is slightly broader and is especially common for progress, growth, and change, not only for physical movement. 'Overtake' focuses on catching up and then passing, so it does not always suggest a long lead. 'Leave behind' is more general and can describe distance or progress, but it is less exact about speed. A deer can outrun hunting dogs, a cyclist can overtake another rider near the finish, and rising costs often outpace wages.

outrun ↗outpaceovertake ↗leave behind

Common collocations

Adverbs

Phrases

  • be outrun by
  • try to outrun
  • continue to outrun

Etymology

Old EnglishEnglish

Formed in English from 'out-' and 'run'. The prefix 'out-' adds the idea of going beyond or doing more than another person or thing. 'Run' comes from Old English verbs meaning to move quickly on foot. The oldest sense was literal physical speed, and later English extended it to things like prices, demand, and technology moving ahead too fast to keep up with.