What does outscoring mean?
“Outscoring” means scoring more points, goals, or comparable units than another competitor, or more generally outperforming a rival in a measured contest. It is widely used in sport, where a team can outscore its opponent across a match or an individual can outscore other players in a tournament. The word also applies to comparisons involving grades, evaluations, benchmarks, revenue, or other measurable results, as when a product outscores a competing product. Its use often suggests not merely doing well but demonstrably doing better than a specific alternative. As the present participle of “outscore,” it commonly occurs after linking verbs: “The champions were outscoring their rivals.” The related simple past is “outscored,” while “outscores” serves as the third-person singular present form. Overall, the term conveys decisive, quantified superiority.
verbTo score more points, goals, or other units than someone else. It may also mean to achieve a higher result or outperform another person or entity.
- To score more points or goals than another competitor.
- To achieve a better result or higher level of performance than another person or entity.
"The visiting team outscored its opponents in every quarter."
"She outscored every other player in the tournament."
"The revised model outscored the previous system on every major benchmark."
To outscore someone is to beat them on the very scale they are competing on.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of outscoring
“Outscore” is formed in English by combining the prefix “out-” with “score.” The prefix “out-” comes from Old English “ūt,” meaning away or out, and is related to the modern sense of surpassing another result. “Score” itself has a long history in English and was used for debts, accounts, and tallies before acquiring its modern association with points gained in a contest.
Related word forms
How outscoring is actually used
“Outscoring” is the present participle of “outscore” and is especially common in sports and competition. In broader uses, it normally means outperforming someone in a measured or clearly judged respect.