outsmart

verb

out·​smart ˌau̇t-ˈsmärt 

outsmarted; outsmarting; outsmarts

transitive verb

: to get the better of

especially : outwit

outsmarted their attackers and escaped unharmed

Synonyms of outsmart

• outwit
• thwart
• outmaneuver
• deceive
• defeat
• overcome
• outfox
• fool
• outthink

Examples of outsmart in a Sentence

The government must gather large amounts of information in order to outsmart its enemies.

an inexpensive security system that would likely be outsmarted by anyone with a serious interest in circumventing it

Recent Examples on the Web

Not for the faint-hearted, but catnip for that certain type who’s made a fortune by outsmarting competing hedge fund managers or private equity firms. —Andrés Martinez, Fortune, 2 Apr. 2026

The struggle resonated with parents on Reddit, many of whom admitted they have been outsmarted by their own baby gear. —Kelly McGreal, FOXNews.com, 1 Apr. 2026

In each of these cases, a tech company outsmarted a human—or several—either by producing text convincing enough to pass the smell test, or by creating and marketing a service that convinced a writer to offload part of their labor. —James Folta, Literary Hub, 1 Apr. 2026

There’s no outsmarting capitalism. —Kyle Cheromcha, The Drive, 1 Apr. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1924, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for outsmart

• apart
• depart
• flowchart
• forepart
• impart
• pushcart
• rampart
• redstart
• restart
• subpart
• sweetheart
• upstart

Kids Definition

outsmart

verb

out·​smart (ˈ)au̇t-ˈsmärt 

: outwit