What does outdare mean?
Outdare means to surpass another person in daring, attempting something bolder, riskier, or more difficult than they have attempted. The word is usually transitive: it can take the person being challenged, as in "outdare a rival," or an infinitive complement, as in "outdare someone to climb the peak." Although its meaning is straightforward, outdare is uncommon and has a formal, literary tone. It is especially associated with competition, adventure, exploration, and conspicuous acts of courage. Rather than merely doing something successfully, the speaker implies that the action required greater willingness to risk failure or hardship than comparable actions by others. In that sense, outdare differs from the broader outdo by focusing specifically on boldness and risk. It is a vivid but infrequent choice, most natural in literary descriptions or when the contrast between competing acts of daring is central to the sentence.
verbTo dare to do or attempt something more daring than another person has dared to do, especially by exceeding another person's willingness to take a risk.
- To surpass another person in daring or in willingness to attempt a risky or challenging action.
"The climber outdared every rival by attempting the ascent without supplemental oxygen."
"The young politician seemed determined to outdare her more experienced opponents."
"No expedition had outdared the mountain's reputation for severity before their attempt."
Outdare turns the familiar dare into a contest: ambition is measured by being willing to go one step further.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does outdare come from?
Outdare is a transparent English compound formed from the prefix out-, meaning beyond or to a greater degree, and the Old English verb durran, "to dare." The modern sense developed from the idea of daring more than another person or attempting something beyond what others have dared to do. Its present-day use is chiefly literary, and it shares its root with forms such as daring and daredevil.
Related word forms
How outdare is actually used
This is a rare, literary or formal verb. It is normally transitive and may be followed by a person, an action, or an infinitive complement, as in "outdare someone to do something." Its implication of greater boldness makes it especially appropriate for competition, exploration, and feats of risk.
Easily confused with outdare
Outdare specifically emphasizes surpassing another person in willingness to take risks or attempt bold actions, whereas outdo is more general and often means doing better than another person.