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

outmaneuvered his congressional opponent by co-opting his call for change in Washington

Recent Examples on the Web

After nearly four decades of airing the league’s games, WBD was outmaneuvered by NBCUniversal, which claimed rights alongside Amazon and Disney/ESPN starting in 2025. —Dade Hayes, Deadline, 16 Oct. 2024

Remember, the goal is not to manipulate or outmaneuver others but to create a positive and productive work environment where everyone can thrive. —Stephen Nalley, Rolling Stone, 10 Sep. 2024

And in the end, outmaneuvered and out of time, Newsom called off his session, as if that action had any real-world meaning. —Tom Philp, The Mercury News, 4 Sep. 2024

Smith broke the scoreless stalemate five minutes into extra time, outmaneuvering defender Felicitas Rauch and German goalkeeper Ann-Katrin Berger on Swanson’s through ball. —Anne M. Peterson, The Denver Post, 6 Aug. 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