outmaneuver

verb

out·​ma·​neu·​ver ˌau̇t-mə-ˈn(y)ü-vər How to pronounce outmaneuver (audio)
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

Examples of outmaneuver in a Sentence

outmaneuvered his congressional opponent by co-opting his call for change in Washington
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Through the streets of World War I Paris, the bohemian artist attempts to outmaneuver bombs, policemen, girlfriends, and critics in an increasingly desperate search of a home for his art. Andreas Wiseman, Deadline, 6 Oct. 2025 Alongside her estranged husband Ryan, the devout Moses (Hill), and new allies Samson (Feliz) and Delilah (Obsidian), Virginia must outmaneuver billionaire cult leader Luther Bell, played with magnetic menace by Esposito. Okla Jones, Essence, 4 Oct. 2025 Footage released by the Philippine government shows a Chinese coast guard cutter colliding with a People's Liberation Army Navy destroyer after being outmaneuvered by a Philippine fisheries bureau vessel. Micah McCartney, MSNBC Newsweek, 19 Sep. 2025 Flat, flexible teams outmaneuver rigid command chains. Steve Denning, Forbes.com, 15 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for outmaneuver

Word History

First Known Use

1796, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of outmaneuver was in 1796

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Cite this Entry

“Outmaneuver.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/outmaneuver. Accessed 8 Oct. 2025.

Kids Definition

outmaneuver

verb
out·​ma·​neu·​ver
ˌau̇t-mə-ˈn(y)ü-vər
: to be more skillful or successful than in maneuvering

More from Merriam-Webster on outmaneuver

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