To outweigh something is to be more important, more serious, or heavier in comparison.
From “out-” meaning “beyond, more than” and “weigh,” from Old English *wegan* “to weigh, carry.” It moved from describing physical weight to describing importance and value.
When you say the benefits outweigh the risks, you’re doing mental math with invisible weights. It’s a reminder that decisions are rarely about good vs. bad, but about which side of the scale wins.
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