outsmart

verb

out·​smart ˌau̇t-ˈsmärt How to pronounce outsmart (audio)
outsmarted; outsmarting; outsmarts

transitive verb

: to get the better of
especially : outwit
outsmarted their attackers and escaped unharmed

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
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.
Tuchel came to Monaco for a meeting with United’s leaders two weeks after the FA Cup final, in which Ten Hag’s side outsmarted and defeated Manchester City for a momentous win. Andy Mitten, New York Times, 1 Nov. 2025 Chris Hemsworth and Halle Berry team up to outsmart Mark Ruffalo in a new trailer for their heist movie Crime 101. Katherine Schaffstall, HollywoodReporter, 23 Oct. 2025 Marty Muggle-Wump is part of the clever monkey duo determined to outsmart their vile captors, perfectly voiced by Timothy Simons. Jane Lacroix, PEOPLE, 18 Oct. 2025 Invite critiques to maintain humility Nicholas likes to tell his team that loyalty in retail is just the absence of something better, and he is driven by a fear of rivals like Costco outsmarting his business. Andrew Edgecliffe-Johnson, semafor.com, 17 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for outsmart

Word History

First Known Use

1924, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of outsmart was in 1924

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Outsmart.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/outsmart. Accessed 9 Nov. 2025.

Kids Definition

outsmart

verb
out·​smart (ˈ)au̇t-ˈsmärt How to pronounce outsmart (audio)
: outwit
Last Updated: - Definition revised
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