outgrowing
Getting too large
Outgrowing is growing beyond something's capacity or suitability.
Children outgrow their clothes and shoes.
You can outgrow a phase, a friendship, or a job: She had outgrown the small-town life.
The word implies natural development rather than deliberate rejection—you don't leave something behind so much as become too large for it.
Developing toward completion
- developingBecoming more advanced
- advancingMoving in forward direction
- ripeningBecoming ready to eat
- blossomingBeginning to flower
Going beyond in quality
- exceedingGoing beyond limits
- outpacingExceeding another's speed
- outstrippingGoing beyond in speed
- eclipsingObscuring by surpassing
transcending · overtaking · outperforming · outdistancing · outshining
Extending muscles or material
- enlargingIncreasing the size of
- expandingGrowing in scope
- lengtheningIncreasing in extent
- wideningIncreasing in extent
Creating space or separation
- divergingSeparating from a common point
- separatingDividing into parts
- outpacingExceeding another's speed
- friendshipsVoluntary affectionate relationships
relationships · mentors · peers · hometown · community
Removing what's unwanted
- abandoningLeaving permanently behind
- relinquishingVoluntarily giving up possession
- releasingAllowing to escape
- droppingLetting something fall
maturing
Developing toward completion
- developingBecoming more advanced
- advancingMoving in forward direction
- ripeningBecoming ready to eat
surpassing
Going beyond in quality
- exceedingGoing beyond limits
- outpacingExceeding another's speed
- outstrippingGoing beyond in speed
eclipsing · transcending · overtaking · outperforming · outdistancing · outshining
stretching
Extending muscles or material
- enlargingIncreasing the size of
- expandingGrowing in scope
- lengtheningIncreasing in extent
distancing
Creating space or separation
- divergingSeparating from a common point
- separatingDividing into parts
- outpacingExceeding another's speed
friendships · relationships · mentors · peers · hometown · community
discarding
Removing what's unwanted
- abandoningLeaving permanently behind
- relinquishingVoluntarily giving up possession
- releasingAllowing to escape
- losing interestboredom, apathy, indifference, disengagement, losing focus