outbid

/aʊtˈbɪd/

//aʊtˈbɪd// verb

"outbid" is a 6-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“outbid” has 8 generated spelling variants in the English index at frequency #44,980. The variants make it a useful spelling check.

#44,980
frequency rank, English
15,494
“O” headwords
8
tracked misspellings
2
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - To bid more than (somebody else) in an auction.

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

How many letter changes separate each confused pair (Levenshtein distance, normalized).

outbid vs outfit
67% similar
outbid vs outside
71% similar

Source: PlainSpell confusable corpus (Wiktionary, CC BY-SA).

Key facts for outbid
PropertyValue
Headwordoutbid
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechVerb
IPA/aʊtˈbɪd/
Letters6
Frequency rank#44,980
Misspellings tracked8
Confusable pairs2
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “outbid” sits in English frequency

Every-word frequency runs from the handful of words we use constantly (left) to the long tail used once in a blue moon (right). outbid lands here:

#1#100#1K#10K#100K
← used constantlyrarely used →

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

A misspelling magnet

The generator records 8 spelling variants around outbid (IPA /aʊtˈbɪd/), averb. Corpus frequency is #44,980 among 15,494 “O” headwords. Dominant gloss: "To bid more than (somebody else) in an auction.".

Our generated misspelling index lists 8 likely wrong-spelling variants for outbid, with forms such as "otubid", "oubtid", and "outbbid". Every one of these variants traces to a single-character edit -- an added or dropped letter, a swapped consonant, or a vowel swap -- the kind of slip a spell-checker is built to catch. It also participates in 2 confusable-pair relationships, "outfit", "outside", since the words sound or look close enough that writers reach for the wrong one mid-sentence.

Etymologically, the entry records: From out- + bid. The correct English form is outbid, spelled O-U-T-B-I-D.

Definition

  1. 1
    To bid more than (somebody else) in an auction.

Etymology

From out- + bid.

This word in other languages

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as:

  • otubid
  • oubtid
  • outbbid
  • outbdi
  • outbidd
  • outibd
  • outtbid
  • uotbid

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of outbid - counted as single-character edits (an insertion, a deletion, or a substituted letter). The larger the bar, the easier the typo is to spot; one-edit slips are the ones that sneak past readers.

otubid2oubtid2outbbid1outbdi2outbidd1outibd2outtbid1uotbid2
Edit distance from "outbid"

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA); frequency ordering uses the FrequencyWords open word-frequency list (2018 English corpus, MIT). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "outbid"?
"outbid" is spelled O-U-T-B-I-D. The IPA pronunciation is /aʊtˈbɪd/.
What does "outbid" mean?
As a verb, "outbid" means: To bid more than (somebody else) in an auction.
What words are commonly confused with "outbid"?
"outbid" is commonly confused with "outfit", "outside". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "outbid"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "outbid" is /aʊtˈbɪd/. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What is the origin of the word "outbid"?
From out- + bid. See the full etymology section above for more details.
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Using “outbid”

The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.

  • The one correct English spelling is O-U-T-B-I-D - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /aʊtˈbɪd/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Don't mix it up with “outfit” - see the side-by-side comparison. outbid vs outfit
  • Browse more English words and confusable pairs in the same reference. English words

Same frequency band

Data Source

Wiktionary (via kaikki.org), licensed under CC BY-SA & GFDL. Word ordering uses an open word-frequency list; misspelling variants are generated by edit-distance from the correct headword.

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list FrequencyWords open word-frequency list