outmaneuver

verb

out·​ma·​neu·​ver ˌau̇t-mə-ˈn(y)ü-vər 

outmaneuvered; outmaneuvering

transitive verb

: to outdo, defeat, or gain an advantage over by skillful or clever maneuvering : to maneuver more effectively than

Battalions are especially important in desert warfare because they are powerful enough to deliver devastating blows … but small enough to sneak along ridges and valleys to outmaneuver larger forces.

—Bob Davis

… an amorally ambitious studio exec who disposes of a threatening screenwriter as coolly as he outmaneuvers a rival executive.

—Gregg Kilday

Sabre pilots learned that if they could force their adversaries to change direction rapidly, the Sabre could outmaneuver them.

—Fred Reed

Synonyms

• fox
• outfox
• outslick
• outsmart
• outthink
• outwit
• overreach

Examples of outmaneuver in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

After the 2006 war between Israel and Lebanon, Iran’s rapid delivery of aid enabled Hezbollah to snatch victory from the jaws of defeat and outmaneuver the Lebanese government by providing instantaneous compensation and rebuilding programs. —Suzanne Maloney, Foreign Affairs, 8 Apr. 2024

By doing so, businesses can better outmaneuver attackers and maintain stakeholder trust. —Byron Fernandez, Forbes, 28 Mar. 2024

Things got a little hot for him after Lenin’s death in 1924, and in the ensuing power struggle he was outmaneuvered by Joseph Stalin. —Washington Post, 21 Mar. 2024

But Gould outmaneuvered the union leadership into reaching a settlement with major union concessions. —Michael Hiltzik, Los Angeles Times, 21 Mar. 2024

Rachel Weisz and Emma Stone are delicious as the two ruthless favorites of the monarch, who try to outmaneuver each other at all costs. —Radhika Seth, Vogue, 22 Feb. 2024

But even with the area now declared a closed military zone, protesters continue to arrive and try to outmaneuver the police. —Clarissa Ward, CNN, 8 Mar. 2024

And the possibility that geopolitical competitors might use AI to outmaneuver allies, increases the pressure to operate on the same terms. —The Physics Arxiv Blog, Discover Magazine, 23 Feb. 2024

Use intelligence and energy to mastermind your way to victory instead of helping someone outmaneuver you. —Eugenia Last, The Mercury News, 14 Feb. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1796, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

outmaneuver

verb

out·​ma·​neu·​ver

ˌau̇t-mə-ˈn(y)ü-vər

: to be more skillful or successful than in maneuvering