verb phrase · neutral
X outweighs Y
Band 5-6speakingtask2
To be greater or more important than something else (usually used of advantages vs disadvantages).
Examples
“For many people, the benefits of technology outweigh the drawbacks.”
“In cost–benefit terms, the advantages outweigh the costs.”
“The pros outweigh the cons in this case.”
Band 8 sentence
“On balance, the long-term environmental gains outweigh the short-term economic costs.”
Collocations
- outweigh the disadvantages
- benefits outweigh the costs
Word family
outweigh verboutweighs / outweighing / outweighed verb forms
Common mistakes
The benefits outweighs the costs→The benefits outweigh the costs
outweigh than→outweigh
Say it for a higher band
5is more important than→6is better than→7+outweighs / outweigh
Synonyms
be more significant than
Easily confused
outnumber
“The students outnumber the teachers in that class.”
Related words
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In Comparatives
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