outfox

verb

ˌau̇t-ˈfäks How to pronounce outfox (audio)
Definition of outfoxnext
as in to outwit
to get the better of through cleverness the prisoners outfoxed the guards by tunneling beneath the prison walls

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of outfox But even foxes can outfox themselves by their own designs. — Jeffrey Sonnenfeld, Time, 20 Jan. 2026 Los Angeles had already outfoxed the 49ers in 2021 by trading for Matthew Stafford, who was also on Shanahan’s radar. — Jerry McDonald, Mercury News, 2 Oct. 2025 No doubt remained that I’d been outfoxed. — Charles Elliott, Outdoor Life, 21 Aug. 2025 The most challenging part of a campaign for Crimea may not be outfoxing Russia. — Andriy Zagorodnyuk, Foreign Affairs, 2 Jan. 2023 See All Example Sentences for outfox
Recent Examples of Synonyms for outfox
  1. outwit
  2. outsmart
  3. outmaneuver
  4. thwart
  5. deceive
  6. defeat
  7. overcome
  8. fox
Verb
  • All season long, Ray and Sugar have been trying to outwit each other.
    — Brian Davids, HollywoodReporter, 31 July 2026
  • To say that Cucurella was pleased, when the Spanish side outwitted the French in the semifinal, would be an understatement.
    — Anthony Lane, New Yorker, 17 July 2026
Definition of outwit
Verb
  • At a certain point, people won’t be able to outsmart advanced AI anymore; this is not just another opinion.
    — Tim Bajarin, Forbes.com, 7 Aug. 2026
  • The problem, according to Hinton, is that humans will no longer be able to rely on outsmarting super-intelligent AI models.
    — Matt Egan, CNN Money, 6 Aug. 2026
Definition of outsmart
Verb
  • The characters' abilities are built around outmaneuvering, not outgunning.
    — Brian Mazique, Forbes.com, 15 Aug. 2026
  • For more than a decade, India’s leader Narendra Modi has seemed politically unassailable, presiding over a government that has outmaneuvered opponents, dominated public discourse and squeezed the space for dissent in the world’s biggest democracy.
    — Rhea Mogul, CNN Money, 28 July 2026
Definition of outmaneuver
Verb
  • The 78-year-old had been indicted ​in April on charges related to what prosecutors said was a scheme to thwart ​public records requests received by the agency beginning in April 2020 related ⁠to Covid-19 research grants.
    — Reuters, NBC news, 19 Aug. 2026
  • The 78-year-old had been indicted in April on charges related to what prosecutors said was a scheme to thwart public records requests received by the agency beginning in April 2020 related to COVID-19 research grants.
    — Nate Raymond, USA Today, 19 Aug. 2026
Definition of thwart
Verb
  • Now some say the operation has left them feeling deceived and questioning whether the White House considered their safety.
    — Scott Nover, Washington Post, 15 Aug. 2026
  • The two proceed to deceive each other, insult each other’s appearances, and abandon each other in precarious situations.
    — Faith Hill, The Atlantic, 14 Aug. 2026
Definition of deceive
Verb
  • Beyer won the Democratic nomination the same day, defeating four challengers and securing roughly 68% of the vote.
    — Amy DeLaura, The Washington Examiner, 15 Aug. 2026
  • But the superhero family eventually regains public sympathy for superheroes after defeating the evil Screenslaver (voiced by Catherine Keener).
    — Mya Copeland, Variety, 15 Aug. 2026
Definition of defeat
Verb
  • Unlike in the Senate, where Democratic votes can be necessary to overcome the 60-vote filibuster threshold, Jeffries commands a minority caucus in a chamber where Republicans can pass most legislation with a simple majority.
    — Lauren Green, The Washington Examiner, 15 Aug. 2026
  • Lorne Balfe From overcoming dyslexia with early synths to navigating AI, remote recording, and spatial audio, the blockbuster composer reveals how technology shapes his scores.
    — Benny Har-Even, Forbes.com, 15 Aug. 2026
Definition of overcome
Verb
  • That will require out-foxing Patriots defensive play-caller Zak Kuhr, whose pressure game plans suffocated the Chargers and Texans the past two weeks.
    — Andrew Callahan, Boston Herald, 23 Jan. 2026
  • Having a robotic bear, rabbit, chicken or fox the size of a refrigerator coming after you in the dark was truly terrifying.
    — Brady MacDonald, Oc Register, 5 Sep. 2025
Definition of fox

Browse Nearby Words

outfought
outfox
outfoxed
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Outfox.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/outfox. Accessed 21 Aug. 2026.

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