To outlast means to continue longer than something or someone else, to survive or endure beyond a competitor or challenge. When a marathon runner outlasts her rivals, she keeps going after they've stopped or slowed down. When a flashlight battery outlasts another brand, it keeps shining after the other has died.

The word captures the idea of persistence winning out. In a staring contest, whoever outlasts the other person wins by refusing to blink first. A stone building might outlast a wooden one by hundreds of years because it weathers storms and time better. During a long, boring lecture, students try to outlast their drowsiness and stay awake until the end.

Outlasting something often requires endurance, patience, or durability. It's not about being the fastest or strongest, but about still being there when others have given up or worn out. A book that outlasts its era remains popular decades after publication, while forgotten books gather dust. The key idea is simple: to outlast is to be the last one standing.