Outdo and overdo are really similar words. These two prefixes in English cause a lot of issues because of their similarity: out- & over-
There is an unlimited number of words like this because native speakers often attach out- or over- for a specific purpose. What is that purpose?
out- is mostly used for doing something more than expectations or predictions. The object of the verb is the expectation that was proven wrong.
If your mom cooked something usual, but this time it suddenly tastes so much better than the last time, you might say:
You really outdid yourself this time!
= You did better than what you did before.
“Outdo yourself” means that your mother proved the mother of the past to be not as good. The mother of the present is much better.
Imagine there are two brothers. They are very competitive. The problem is that everyone always thinks they are so similar because they both do very well in school, so they both have a complex and want to show “no, I am better. /I/ am the smart brother.” Here is another example:
The two brothers always try to outdo each other.
= Both brothers want to prove that HE is better than his brother.
“outdo each other” is about doing better than the other brother. One brother might study for a test harder. One brother might join an after school program about science to show he is the smarter one.
over- is mostly used for doing something too much. It has a negative connotation. If you use this prefix, you are unhappy with the result.
Imagine you watch a play, but the actors are melodramatic. They are not acting naturally. They are acting like cartoon characters. Humans don’t move their arms so much. Humans don’t react so strongly to something small. You can say:
The acting in that play was really overdone, so I cringed the whole time.
= The actor was too dramatic. It was painful to watch. I was embarrassed watching it.
Another place you could use this is about Hollywood movies. Sometimes Hollywood makes too many movies in one genre. Maybe you are tired of watching action movies with a hero that looks the same as every other hero. You could say:
I am so sick of action movies. Hollywood really overdoes mindless action movies.
= Hollywood studios make too many similar action movies.
In both situations, over- adds the meaning that something happens way more than it should.
out- is usually for positive things. over- is usually for negative things.
You exceed expectations, so you outdo yourself. You do it too much, so you overdo it. Outdo and overdo are both about doing something a lot, but one is positive, and one is negative.
I keep saying out- and over- because this relationship works with any words you attach it to.
Beyoncé can outsing any other pop star.
= She can prove that she sings better than all other pop stars can.
I hate that singer because he oversings every line.
= This singer adds too much drama to all of the words to show that he is so talented, but it’s too much.
On this show, ten contestants try to outcook each other.
= The contestants make very beautiful dishes trying to prove they cook the best.
I don’t like that restaurant because they overcook their burgers.
= The cooks at this restaurant burn the meat on all their burgers.
I always recommend looking at how words build other words. Outdo and overdo have a similar verb we all know, do, but they only are different with those two prefixes out- and over-. Instead of learning dozens of words, you can just learn out- and over- to learn them all at once.
