To outnumber means to be greater in quantity than another group. When girls outnumber boys in a classroom, there are more girls than boys. When ants outnumber picnic guests, the tiny insects have shown up in far greater numbers than the people trying to enjoy lunch.

The word captures a simple but important idea: having more of something than something else. In a vote where “yes” votes outnumber “no” votes, the “yes” side wins because they have superior numbers. During a game of capture the flag, if one team outnumbers the other, they have a numerical advantage that might help them win, though strategy and skill still matter plenty.

You'll often see this word when comparing groups: stars outnumber planets in our galaxy, trees outnumber houses in a forest, or questions outnumber answers during a curious kid's bedtime routine. The word emphasizes quantity over quality. Just because one thing outnumbers another doesn't automatically make it more important or powerful, but numbers often do matter. Three defenders trying to stop seven attackers face a real problem, no matter how skilled those three defenders might be.