# leave someone in the dust

> English word · Verb

## Definitions
1. To completely overtake a competitor.
2. To abandon; to leave behind.

## Etymology
Originally (from 17th c.), to leave in the dust meant to abandon or leave something/someone behind - literally or figuratively on the dirt ground.
In modern usage (since late 19th c.), the sense has shifted to one about being overtaken by a competitor, the allusion changing to being left in the airborne dust that has been kicked up by a faster runner, horse, or vehicle.

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/leave-someone-in-the-dust