outnumber

verb

out·​num·​ber ˌau̇t-ˈnəm-bər How to pronounce outnumber (audio)
outnumbered; outnumbering; outnumbers

transitive verb

: to exceed in number

Examples of outnumber in a Sentence

With 20 girls and 10 boys in the class, girls outnumber boys by 2 to 1.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Cracked asphalt outnumbered fresh striping in the parking lot. — Ken Lundin, Forbes.com, 13 Oct. 2026 But today, Democrats outnumber Republicans nearly 2 to 1 in the state, and the current White House occupant shares a mutual disdain with the vast majority of Golden State voters. — Los Angeles Times, 12 Oct. 2026 Women have outnumbered them in the workforce for eight straight months, the longest such stretch since 2010. — Joel Mathis, TheWeek, 7 Oct. 2026 To avoid the pitfalls of apps like Tinder and Hinge—where women are vastly outnumbered by men and are therefore overwhelmed by choice while men receive very few matches—FirstDate uses a Nobel Prize-winning matching theory algorithm. — Jim Edwards, Fortune, 7 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for outnumber

Word History

First Known Use

1598, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of outnumber was in 1598

Rhymes for outnumber

See All Rhymes for outnumber

Browse Nearby Words

outness
outnumber
out of
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Cite this Entry

“Outnumber.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/outnumber. Accessed 20 Oct. 2026.

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Kids Definition

outnumber

verb
out·​num·​ber (ˈ)au̇t-ˈnəm-bər How to pronounce outnumber (audio)
: to be more than in number
girls outnumber boys in the class
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