What does outdating mean?
“Outdating” is the present-participle and gerund form of the verb “outdate,” meaning to make something seem old-fashioned, obsolete, or unsuitable for present conditions. It describes an active process rather than simply the condition of being old: a format can outdate an earlier one, while a policy or design may gradually outdate itself as circumstances change. The verb is especially common in discussions of technology, software, design, media, and business systems, although it can apply more broadly to ideas, customs, and institutions. Its connotation is generally neutral to mildly negative because being left behind usually implies inefficiency, obsolescence, or loss of relevance. In contrast, “updating” means bringing something into greater currency or alignment with current conditions. Although less frequent than the adjective “outdated,” “outdating” is useful when the emphasis is on the process by which something becomes obsolete.
verbTo make something seem old-fashioned, obsolete, or no longer suitable for current conditions. It usually refers to a process through which technology, design, systems, or ideas are left behind by newer developments.
- To make something old-fashioned, obsolete, or no longer suitable for current conditions.
"Frequent redesigns risk outdating an otherwise polished and effective product."
"Rapid technological change can outdating even a carefully engineered device."
"The team spent months updating the interface before outdating its original design."
Outdating is time moving backward: a present-day act that leaves something behind the present.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does outdating come from?
“Outdating” comes from the verb “outdate,” formed from the prefix “out-” and “date,” with the suffix “-ing.” “Date” entered Middle English through Anglo-French and ultimately derives from Latin “datare,” meaning “to give,” originally “to give a date.” Related verbs include “antedate,” which means to place before a particular date, and “postdate,” which means to place after it; “undated” shares the same root in the sense of lacking a date.
Related word forms
How outdating is actually used
The word is neutral to mildly negative and commonly occurs in technology, design, media, and business contexts. It is normally transitive, taking the thing being made obsolete as its object: “The redesign outdated the earlier system.” It also occurs in abstract contexts when discussing the effects of innovation or changing standards.
Easily confused with outdating
Outdating is the active verb describing the process of making something obsolete, whereas outdated is the adjective describing something that is already old-fashioned or no longer current.