out herod
/ˌaʊtˈhɛrəd/
verb
- To surpass or exceed someone in cruelty, violence, or outrageous behavior, especially in a way that is extreme or tyrannical.
- No dictator in history could out-herod the worst tyrants of the 20th century.
- The bully thought he could out-herod everyone else, but his cruelty only made him more hated.
- The villain in the movie tried to out-herod the previous antagonist with even more brutal schemes.