to outbid / surpass
Loading your saved state.
to outbid
To make a higher bid than another bidder, especially at an auction or sale.
In letzter Sekunde hat ein anonymer Käufer das bisherige Höchstgebot für das Gemälde überboten.
At the last second, an anonymous buyer outbid the previous highest bid for the painting.
'Überbieten' (to outbid / surpass) is an inseparable verb. The prefix 'über-' remains firmly attached to the verb in all sentence forms and tenses, because it has a figurative meaning of 'going beyond'.
Er überbot alle anderen bei der Auktion.
He outbid everyone else at the auction.
In the meaning of 'sich gegenseitig übertreffen' (to surpass each other), the verb is always used reflexively: 'sich überbieten' (to outdo each other). The preposition 'mit' (with) often follows to name what the competition consists of.
Die Kandidaten überboten sich mit Versprechungen für die Zukunft.
The candidates outdid each other with promises for the future.
To express that something is unsurpassable or the best of its kind, the construction 'kaum zu überbieten' (hard to surpass) or 'nicht zu überbieten' (impossible to surpass) is often used.
Die Aussicht vom Berggipfel war an Schönheit nicht zu überbieten.
The view from the mountain peak was unsurpassable in its beauty.
The literal meaning of 'überbieten' (to outbid) is used almost exclusively in the context of auctions, sales by auction, or sales negotiations where bids are made.
Ein Museum überbot den privaten Sammler und kaufte das Manuskript.
A museum outbid the private collector and bought the manuscript.
to offer / to bid
'bieten' and 'überbieten' are especially close in meaning at auctions. There, 'bieten' means that you name a price you are willing to pay. 'überbieten' means that you make a higher bid than another person. Outside of auctions, 'überbieten' can also mean that someone surpasses a performance or quality. Learners may confuse the words because 'bieten' is part of both of them. The important point is: with 'überbieten', there is always the idea of 'more than someone or something else'.
Kurz vor dem Ende überbietet eine andere Käuferin sein Angebot.
Shortly before the end, another buyer outbids his offer.
Bei der Versteigerung bietet Tom 200 Euro für das alte Fahrrad.
At the auction, Tom bids 200 euros for the old bicycle.