Outshine

Part of speech: verb

Pronunciation: /aʊtˈʃaɪn/

Definitions

1. To emit more light or shine more brightly than something else ; to perform better or achieve greater success than others in a particular area
2. To glow with greater intensity than surrounding objects ; to be more impressive or skillful than someone or something else
3. To radiate more strongly or visibly than nearby lights ; to outdo others by being superior in talent or accomplishment

Etymology: "Outshine" is a plain English compound, built from "out" and "shine." The first element, "out," descends from Proto-Germanic "ūt," which in Old English became "ūt" and in Middle English "ut," reaching its modern form in English. The second element, "shine," is an older native word, so the whole formation is a straightforward combination of two inherited English parts rather than a loan from another language. The sense is worth noticing. "Out" in this compound works as an intensifier that means "beyond" or "surpassing," so to outshine something is to shine beyond it, drawing the light away from it. The same logic runs through related verbs such as "outrun," "outlast," and "outdo," where "out" marks someone going past a rival. The literal meaning of brightness and the figurative meaning of superiority in skill or impressiveness developed side by side, and both remain in use today.

Synonyms: outperform, surpass, excel, overshadow, outdo

Antonyms: fail, underperform, lose, diminish, falter