outthink
verb
out·think
ˌau̇t-ˈthiŋk 
outthought
ˌau̇t-ˈthȯt
; outthinking
; outthinking
1
: to outdo or surpass in thinking : to go beyond or transcend by thinking
Thus does a candidate who is certainly capable of equalling or outthinking his competitors on the issues find himself fighting a shadow war against himself.—
E. J. Dionne, Jr.
E. J. Dionne, Jr.2
: to get the better of by thinking more quickly or adroitly than : outwit
All trying to buy low, to sell high, now to outthink the other fellow, now to collude with them, to defraud a third party.—David Mamet
David Mamet
Synonyms
Examples of outthink in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
By June, however, Space Force and its Combatant Command, U.S. Space Command, were recruiting tech-smart people; coordinating with international allies; deciding which technologies to buy; and running war-game simulations in which teams attack, counterattack and outthink one another.
—Ann Finkbeiner, Scientific American, 1 Nov. 2020
What the talent evaluators of the Carolina Panthers saw this draft cycle was an undersized quarterback from the University of Alabama whose ability to outthink defenses outweighed his physical limitations.
—Joseph Goodman | Jgoodman@al.com, al, 28 Apr. 2023
Holly must summon all her formidable talents to outthink and outmaneuver the shockingly twisted professors.
—Clark Collis, EW.com, 23 Jan. 2023
Warzel offers this advice: Don’t try to outthink the robots.
—Robin Ryan, Forbes, 9 Nov. 2021
The Cowboys should remain at No. 10 and don’t attempt to outthink the draft.
—David Moore, Dallas News, 22 Apr. 2021
Watching the underdog lead, played by Anya Taylor-Joy, outthink her opponents was so uplifting, viewers were tricked into thinking chess is a thrilling spectator sport.
—Chris Hewitt, Star Tribune, 25 Dec. 2020
Pochettino was bafflingly outthought by Steve Bruce in a game Tottenham were expected to win by three or four goals.
—SI.com, 7 Sep. 2019
The restaurant has a tendency to outthink itself with all of its interesting thoughts.
—Devra First, BostonGlobe.com, 11 July 2018
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Ann Finkbeiner, Scientific American, 1 Nov. 2020
What the talent evaluators of the Carolina Panthers saw this draft cycle was an undersized quarterback from the University of Alabama whose ability to outthink defenses outweighed his physical limitations.
—Joseph Goodman | Jgoodman@al.com, al, 28 Apr. 2023
Holly must summon all her formidable talents to outthink and outmaneuver the shockingly twisted professors.
—Clark Collis, EW.com, 23 Jan. 2023
Warzel offers this advice: Don’t try to outthink the robots.
—Robin Ryan, Forbes, 9 Nov. 2021
The Cowboys should remain at No. 10 and don’t attempt to outthink the draft.
—David Moore, Dallas News, 22 Apr. 2021
Watching the underdog lead, played by Anya Taylor-Joy, outthink her opponents was so uplifting, viewers were tricked into thinking chess is a thrilling spectator sport.
—Chris Hewitt, Star Tribune, 25 Dec. 2020
Pochettino was bafflingly outthought by Steve Bruce in a game Tottenham were expected to win by three or four goals.
—SI.com, 7 Sep. 2019
The restaurant has a tendency to outthink itself with all of its interesting thoughts.
—Devra First, BostonGlobe.com, 11 July 2018
See More
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'outthink.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
First Known Use
1704, in the meaning defined at sense 1
Dictionary Entries Near outthink
Cite this Entry
“Outthink.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/outthink. Accessed 5 Dec. 2023.
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