To outstrip means to go faster, do better, or grow more than someone or something else, leaving them behind. When a runner outstrips her competitors in a race, she pulls ahead and finishes first. When a company's profits outstrip expectations, they earn far more money than anyone predicted.

The word suggests surpassing by a significant margin. A student who studies diligently might outstrip classmates who don't prepare as thoroughly. A sapling that gets plenty of sunlight and water will outstrip the growth of trees stuck in shade.

You'll often see outstrip used when comparing quantities or rates of change. Demand for a popular new video game might outstrip supply, meaning more people want to buy it than stores have in stock. A city's population growth might outstrip its ability to build new schools, creating a shortage of classroom space.

When something outstrips something else, there's a clear gap between the leader and whatever got left behind.