outdo

/aʊtˈdu/

//aʊtˈdu// verb

By · According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA) ·

"outdo" is a 5-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“outdo” has 6 generated spelling variants in the English index at frequency #40,825. The variants make it a useful spelling check.

#40,825
frequency rank, English
1,431
“O” headwords
6
tracked misspellings
9
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed September 3, 2026) - To excel; go beyond in performance; surpass.

Corpus desk

Index EN-outdo · outdo · English

outdo · rank #40,825 · 6 variants · 9 confusables

  • FREQ-MID #40,825
  • LEN-MID 5 letters
  • VOW-3 3 vowels
  • CONFUS-MID 9 pairs
  • VAR-MID 6 variants
  • BOOK-MID 1,431
  • PHOTO-FINISH ouster

Nearest frequency peer: ouster (-1 rank slots)

Read with this headword: Spelling guide for this pattern

Desk codes from Wiktionary headword shape, FrequencyWords rank tier, confusable-pair count, generated misspelling depth, letter-cohort book size, and photo-finish peer. Not a difficulty grade.

Rank peers near misspelling magnet “outdo”

Same rarity band: useful when a typo lands on a peer headword

corpus weight

What this shows “outdo” sits among these FrequencyWords peers; misspelling depth is tracked separately in the edit-distance chart.

Source FrequencyWords open word-frequency list As of September 3, 2026

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

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

outdo vs outer
60% similar
outdo vs outta
60% similar
outdo vs outro
80% similar

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

Key facts for outdo
PropertyValue
Headwordoutdo
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechVerb
IPA/aʊtˈdu/
Letters5
Frequency rank#40,825
Misspellings tracked6
Confusable pairs9
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Frequency seat of misspelling magnet “outdo”

Word frequency stretches from the small set of words we reach for constantly (left) out to the long tail barely used once in a while (right).outdolands here:

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

The axis is logarithmic, with each marked tick roughly ten times rarer than the last. Same rarity band neighbours include “ouster” (#40,824), “outlive” (#40,826), “oxymoron” (#40,827). Among 1,431 “O” headwords, “outdo” is #40,825. Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

A misspelling magnet

The generator records 6 spelling variants around outdo (IPA /aʊtˈdu/), averb. Corpus frequency is #40,825 among 1,431 “O” headwords. Dominant gloss: "To excel; go beyond in performance; surpass.".

Our generated misspelling index lists 6 likely wrong-spelling variants for outdo, with forms such as "otudo", "oudto", and "outddo". Each variant is a distinct typo pattern an edit-distance generator flags, typically a doubled-consonant error, a silent-letter drop, or a vowel substitution. It also participates in 9 confusable-pair relationships, "outer", "outta", "outro", and more, since the words sound or look close enough that writers reach for the wrong one mid-sentence.

Etymologically, the entry records: From out- + do. The correct English form is outdo, spelled O-U-T-D-O.

Definition

  1. 1
    To excel; go beyond in performance; surpass.

Recorded use

Wiktionary example

These source excerpts show how outdo appears in context. They illustrate usage; the definition above remains the entry’s reference meaning.

  1. You've outdone yourself—another personal best!

Etymology

From out- + do.

Synonyms

to outperformto outrivalimprove onovertakeeclipse

This word in other languages

exceder(Español)surpasser(Français)übertreffen(Deutsch)superar(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as:

  • otudo
  • oudto
  • outddo
  • outod
  • outtdo
  • uotdo

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of outdo - measured in single-character edits (insert, delete, or substitute a letter). Larger bars are easier to catch; one-edit slips are the sneakiest.

otudo2oudto2outddo1outod2outtdo1uotdo2
Edit distance from "outdo"

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 "outdo"?
"outdo" is spelled O-U-T-D-O. The IPA pronunciation is /aʊtˈdu/.
What does "outdo" mean?
As a verb, "outdo" means: To excel; go beyond in performance; surpass.
What words are commonly confused with "outdo"?
"outdo" is commonly confused with "outer", "outta", "outro". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "outdo"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "outdo" is /aʊtˈdu/. 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 "outdo"?
From out- + do. 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.

Similar English words by spelling shape

Same letter count and similar misspelling depth for "outdo", not the corpus desk frequency band.

Same letter count

Frequency-ranked English headwords with 5 letters (nearest by frequency rank).

pissy#40,837NHTSA#40,812pygmy#40,856Linde#40,781

Similar misspelling depth

Headwords with a similar count of attested misspellings (6 here; floor ≥5).

meld6 variantshick6 variantstern6 variantsthot6 variants

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

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list