outdone

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "outdone" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used when referring to someone or something that has been surpassed or exceeded in performance or achievement. Example: "In the competition, she felt that she had outdone herself with her performance."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Formal & Business

Sport

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

She'd be outdone by Churchill, and possibly, although he was a much more flawed character, by Lloyd George.

The Guardian

Malcolm Turnbull, not to be outdone, the next day said: "If we want to succeed, and continue to succeed as a prosperous first-world economy... the key tool for that is coding".

The Guardian - Opinion

Not to be outdone, he went into Norwich's dressing room, congratulated the players and told them they were a credit to the First Division.

The Guardian - Sport

Not to be outdone, Sir Royston spent a further $12m redoing it and the result is one of the most beautiful and tranquil hotels I've stayed at.

The Guardian - Travel

Their 46 league matches this season have featured a total of 105 goals, while the remainder of the top six have on average been party to 137 each (Boro's is the third lowest total in the division, though they're considerably outdone by Sheffield Wednesday's 92).

The Guardian - Sport

Not to be outdone, Nine will launch "the most controversial social experiment" next year in a new reality format Married at First Sight, in which contestants will be hitched to complete strangers.

The Guardian

The Tory leadership were so nervous about the results that camp beds were brought in for staff to ensure that everyone was on hand if the prime minister had to go out into Downing Street to admit that he had outdone Lord North, the prime minister who lost the North American Colonies, by losing the United Kingdom.

The Guardian

Not to be outdone on the social media front, Twitter also had its own resident expert.

The Guardian

Not to be outdone, Republicans and conservative groups are buying up millions of dollars of TV airtime, bashing his Democratic opponent, Alex Sink, as a backer of "Obama's reckless agenda", meaning above all Obamacare.There is a logic to such hardball tactics.

The Economist

Not to be outdone, the CDU staged a coronation mass for Ms Merkel, with an ersatz Queen band warming up the crowd.

The Economist

Not to be outdone by Illinois skunk-racing, Wisconsin this year introduced the canine musical free-style competition, "a blend of dog obedience and dance moves performed to music".

The Economist

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "outdone" to emphasize that someone or something has not just been matched, but surpassed, especially in a competitive context. For example, 'The new model outdone its predecessor in fuel efficiency.'

Common error

Avoid using "outdone" when simply describing equivalent performance; the phrase implies a superior achievement, not just a matching one. Don't say 'Their efforts outdone ours' if both teams achieved similar results.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "outdone" primarily functions as a past participle of the verb "outdo". It indicates that someone or something has surpassed another in performance or achievement. As Ludwig confirms, it is usable in written English.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

49%

Formal & Business

22%

Sport

5%

Less common in

Science

12%

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "outdone" functions as a past participle denoting superior achievement and is deemed grammatically correct by Ludwig AI. Its frequency is very common, with primary usage in News & Media, Formal & Business and sport contexts. When using "outdone", ensure a context of surpassing expectations rather than merely matching them. Consider alternatives such as "surpassed" or "exceeded" for nuanced meanings. As Ludwig AI confirms, the phrase is a valuable way to express that a subject has raised the bar, not simply met it.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

Surpassed

Implies exceeding a limit or boundary; more formal.

Exceeded

Suggests going beyond a standard or expectation; often quantifiable.

Excelled

Highlights exceptional performance.

Bettered

Simple, direct term for improving upon.

Trumped

Informal term implying a decisive victory.

Eclipsed

Implies overshadowing or diminishing another's achievement.

Outstripped

Suggests moving ahead rapidly and surpassing.

Overtook

Indicates passing someone or something in progress.

Surmounted

Overcoming a challenge to achieve a higher level.

Transcended

Rising above or beyond limitations.

FAQs

How can I use "outdone" in a sentence?

You can use "outdone" to describe a situation where someone or something has surpassed expectations or another entity. For example, "The company's profits this year have "exceeded" all previous records, having truly outdone itself."

What can I say instead of "outdone"?

You can use alternatives like "surpassed", "exceeded", or "bettered" depending on the specific context.

Which is correct, "outdone" or "out did"?

"Outdone" is the correct past participle form of the verb "outdo". "Out did" is only used when constructing a sentence in the past tense, such as "He out did himself."

What's the difference between "outdone" and "defeated"?

"Outdone" implies surpassing or exceeding in performance, while "defeated" means winning against an opponent. You "surpass" someone by being better; you "beat" someone in a competition.