as in outwitting
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 outsmarting
Mosquitoes just might be outsmarting us Mosquitoes may be beating us at our own game − by making repellent attractive.
—
Robert Abitbol, USA Today, 13 June 2026
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
There’s no outsmarting capitalism.
—Kyle Cheromcha, The Drive, 1 Apr. 2026
These clips often use humor and pop‑culture aesthetics—even LEGO‑style animations—to show Iran’s late supreme leader outsmarting and humiliating his American adversaries.
—Newsweek Editors, MSNBC Newsweek, 30 Mar. 2026
Predicting mosquito behavior is a first step toward outsmarting them.
—David Hu, The Conversation, 18 Mar. 2026
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
Because some of them act like complete idiots, but Wendy is constantly outsmarting everyone.
—Erik Kain, Forbes.com, 18 Sep. 2025
Each episode will see the heroes explore new lands — from glittering mining mountains to secret vault cities — solving puzzles, cracking codes and outsmarting digital bandits along the way.
—Jesse Whittock, Deadline, 20 Aug. 2025
Robert Abitbol, USA Today, 13 June 2026
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
There’s no outsmarting capitalism.
—Kyle Cheromcha, The Drive, 1 Apr. 2026
These clips often use humor and pop‑culture aesthetics—even LEGO‑style animations—to show Iran’s late supreme leader outsmarting and humiliating his American adversaries.
—Newsweek Editors, MSNBC Newsweek, 30 Mar. 2026
Predicting mosquito behavior is a first step toward outsmarting them.
—David Hu, The Conversation, 18 Mar. 2026
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
Because some of them act like complete idiots, but Wendy is constantly outsmarting everyone.
—Erik Kain, Forbes.com, 18 Sep. 2025
Each episode will see the heroes explore new lands — from glittering mining mountains to secret vault cities — solving puzzles, cracking codes and outsmarting digital bandits along the way.
—Jesse Whittock, Deadline, 20 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for outsmarting
Verb
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After defeating fellow American Kyle Daukaus, fighter Bo Nickal praised the president.—
Swapna Venugopal Ramaswamy,
USA Today,
15 June 2026
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Cardenas is currently running for re-election to the Board of Review, and won the Democratic primary in March, defeating former Friends of the Parks executive director Juanita Irizarry.—
Todd Feurer,
CBS News,
15 June 2026
Verb
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But O’Malley writes that this is deceiving.—
Livia Gershon,
JSTOR Daily,
9 June 2026
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Stop deceiving yourself into the comfort that learning AI skills and tools alone will save you.—
Rachel Wells,
Forbes.com,
19 May 2026
Verb
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Brendan Fraser is on hand as well, playing a jerky LAPD detective who keeps stepping on Diamond’s toes, thwarting the private eye’s shrewd attempts to crack the case.—
Jordan Mintzer,
HollywoodReporter,
20 May 2026
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Israel says its strikes are aimed at thwarting attempts by Hamas and other Palestinian militants to stage attacks against its forces.—
Reuters,
NBC news,
7 May 2026
Verb
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Rather than overpowering them with brute force, German forces managed to defeat the French and British forces in the Battle of France (1940) by simply outmaneuvering them.—
Matthew S Williams,
Interesting Engineering,
20 May 2026
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The Strategic Powerhouses These names are inspired by women who lead with their minds, outmaneuvering everyone in the room.—
Lauren Brown West-Rosenthal,
Parents,
19 Feb. 2026
Verb
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That program is based on the notion that housing should be a prerequisite for people dealing with addictions or mental illness, not a reward for overcoming them.—
Jim Morrill,
Charlotte Observer,
11 Dec. 2025
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That means overcoming Ella’s hostility and bridging the divide with her uncommunicative kid brother Casey (Spike Fearn), an MIT graduate who has become an agoraphobic shut-in since his breakup with beloved girlfriend Susan (Ayo Edebiri).—
David Rooney,
HollywoodReporter,
10 Dec. 2025
Verb
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This feels like a hesi-pull in a game of basketball, fooling your opponent into thinking the offensive player is driving to the hoop.—
Kenneth Okeke,
Hartford Courant,
8 May 2026
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After killing Minnesota’s first power play, the Avalanche opened the scoring when defenseman Sam Malinski scored his first career playoff goal, fooling Wallstedt with a rising wrist shot.—
Jess Myers,
Twin Cities,
4 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Outsmarting.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/outsmarting. Accessed 17 Jun. 2026.
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