as in to outwit
to get the better of through cleverness
an inexpensive security system that would likely be outsmarted by anyone with a serious interest in circumventing it
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Recent Examples of outsmart
As lies unravel, Nora and Jack scramble to outsmart one another, leaving one burning question: who will come out on top in this twisted game of life and death?
—
Alex Ritman, Variety, 14 May 2025
The bottom line: Retail traders seem to have outsmarted the smart money yet again.
—Felix Salmon, Axios, 28 Jan. 2025
What her realization results in is a nearly 25-minute fight scene in the finale between Joe and Louise that ends with Louise outsmarting Joe at his own game and locking him up forever.
—Jason Pham, StyleCaster, 24 Apr. 2025
The trio must tag team to outsmart a cunning international thief and save a priceless diamond gauntlet — just in time for Christmas.
—Brian Welk, IndieWire, 15 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for outsmart
Alex Ritman, Variety, 14 May 2025
The bottom line: Retail traders seem to have outsmarted the smart money yet again.
—Felix Salmon, Axios, 28 Jan. 2025
What her realization results in is a nearly 25-minute fight scene in the finale between Joe and Louise that ends with Louise outsmarting Joe at his own game and locking him up forever.
—Jason Pham, StyleCaster, 24 Apr. 2025
The trio must tag team to outsmart a cunning international thief and save a priceless diamond gauntlet — just in time for Christmas.
—Brian Welk, IndieWire, 15 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for outsmart
Recent Examples of Synonyms for outsmart
Verb
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Maresca outwitted counterpart Eddie Howe, too, although will still be accused by the growing critics among the fanbase of adapting his tactics too late.—
Simon Johnson,
New York Times,
13 May 2025
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But Lord, let not the enemy outwit your purpose, outmaneuver your move.—
Anna Commander,
MSNBC Newsweek,
7 May 2025
Verb
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Musk also joined Trump in criticizing the courts for trying to thwart DOGE cuts and executive actions, including tariffs and migrant deportations.—
Haisten Willis,
The Washington Examiner,
30 May 2025
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Defenses managed to down six ballistic missiles and 128 drones, while another 117 drones disappeared from radar and were thwarted by electronic warfare, the statement said.—
Brendan Cole,
MSNBC Newsweek,
24 May 2025
Verb
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Even children who are online only in small doses likely see false or inaccurate information that might deceive them.—
Evan Orticio,
Scientific American,
2 June 2025
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In November, Dove pleaded guilty in Gaston County to a dozen felony charges related to illegally accessing police computer systems and helping someone deceive a polygraph test, The Gaston Gazette reported.—
Julia Coin,
Charlotte Observer,
30 May 2025
Verb
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His reign ended as another American emerged, Francis Ouimet, a mild-mannered amateur who defeated Vardon and Ted Ray in a playoff.—
Tim Corlett,
Forbes.com,
9 June 2025
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That’s supposed to keep immigrant families safe and defeat Trump?—
Gustavo Arellano,
Los Angeles Times,
9 June 2025
Verb
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Skubal overcame a Tommy John procedure in college and a flexor tendon surgery earlier in his big-league career to become one of baseball’s elite pitchers.—
Cody Stavenhagen,
New York Times,
30 May 2025
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The odds remain against them — only 16.1% of teams have overcome a 3-2 deficit in NBA playoff history — but the Knicks are coming off their best all-around performance of the series.—
Peter Sblendorio,
New York Daily News,
30 May 2025
Verb
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Rohit's captaincy was also in the gun, outfoxed tactically by opposite number Pat Cummins.—
Tristan Lavalette,
Forbes.com,
8 May 2025
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In the most iconic scene, he gets outfoxed on the subway by the French drug lord on a subway, playing cat-and-mouse on the platform.—
Rob Sheffield,
Rolling Stone,
27 Feb. 2025
Verb
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Reyes was a nice spring training story, but the Yankees were fooled by meaningless February and March stats.—
Chris Kirschner,
New York Times,
8 June 2025
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But don't be fooled, as these texts are sophisticated scams designed to steal your personal information or money.—
Kurt Knutsson,
FOXNews.com,
7 June 2025
Verb
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Either way, in a world where everything can be faked — intelligence, emotion, even purpose — the real danger isn’t that AI will outthink us.—
Tomas Chamorro-Premuzic,
Forbes.com,
29 May 2025
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And if this isn’t an isolated incident, then this presents a huge problem for the remnants of humanity, most of whom have survived through a mixture of luck and simply being able to outthink these single-minded creatures.—
Alan Sepinwall,
Rolling Stone,
13 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Outsmart.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/outsmart. Accessed 13 Jun. 2025.
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