as in to outwit
to get the better of through cleverness
the prisoners outfoxed the guards by tunneling beneath the prison walls
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of outfox
The governor’s better posture would be to concentrate on outmaneuvering and outfoxing Trump.
—
David Greising, Chicago Tribune, 31 Jan. 2025
Situated in one of the game's smallest media markets, the Padres under General Manager A.J. Preller have spent lavishly and made a series of splashy acquisitions, but keep getting outfoxed by their upstate rivals, the Los Angeles Dodgers.
—David Faris, theweek, 5 Sep. 2024
Here, Shyamalan has similar intentions: His movie would be nothing without Hartnett’s serial killer outfoxing his pursuers, slipping past one security barrier after another, stealing access badges willy-nilly and engineering his daughter’s onstage appearance with her idol.
—Michael Phillips, Chicago Tribune, 2 Aug. 2024
Since the March Senate primary when Steve Garvey was able to outfox several prominent Democratic competitors and advance to the November election, the Dodger and Padres legend has been very quiet.
—Benjamin Oreskes, Los Angeles Times, 9 July 2024
See All Example Sentences for outfox
David Greising, Chicago Tribune, 31 Jan. 2025
Situated in one of the game's smallest media markets, the Padres under General Manager A.J. Preller have spent lavishly and made a series of splashy acquisitions, but keep getting outfoxed by their upstate rivals, the Los Angeles Dodgers.
—David Faris, theweek, 5 Sep. 2024
Here, Shyamalan has similar intentions: His movie would be nothing without Hartnett’s serial killer outfoxing his pursuers, slipping past one security barrier after another, stealing access badges willy-nilly and engineering his daughter’s onstage appearance with her idol.
—Michael Phillips, Chicago Tribune, 2 Aug. 2024
Since the March Senate primary when Steve Garvey was able to outfox several prominent Democratic competitors and advance to the November election, the Dodger and Padres legend has been very quiet.
—Benjamin Oreskes, Los Angeles Times, 9 July 2024
See All Example Sentences for outfox
Recent Examples of Synonyms for outfox
Verb
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The old lad won the 2025 Masters in the most patent way possible, by outwitting an army of demons and finally meeting his place in history.—
Brendan Quinn,
New York Times,
14 Apr. 2025
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Virgil van Dijk got outwitted by the combative Rodrigo Muniz for Fulham’s third.—
James Pearce,
New York Times,
7 Apr. 2025
Verb
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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
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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
Verb
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The Guna have long thwarted real-estate developers and foreign investors eyeing both the shore and the uninhabited islands, which are a postcard vision of paradise.—
Mark Johanson,
AFAR Media,
22 Apr. 2025
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And then came the Tampa Bay Lightning, who thwarted everything that made the Panthers so successful.—
Jordan McPherson,
Miami Herald,
21 Apr. 2025
Verb
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Jurors found Peters guilty in August for using someone else’s security badge to give an expert affiliated with My Pillow chief executive Mike Lindell access to the Mesa County election system and deceiving other officials about that person’s identity.—
Colleen Slevin,
Twin Cities,
22 Apr. 2025
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Stribling tried to deceive officers by saying Bailei was shot in a robbery, The Detroit News reported.—
Mike Stunson,
Kansas City Star,
17 Apr. 2025
Verb
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In Brazil’s 2023 Presidential election, Lula da Silva defeated Jair Bolsonaro by less than two percentage points.—
The New Yorker,
New Yorker,
23 Apr. 2025
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Both competitors defeated four female opponents each to get to the championship bout.—
Ryan Morik,
FOXNews.com,
23 Apr. 2025
Verb
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Trailing 0-2, the Heat now faces a series deficit that not many NBA teams have overcome.—
Anthony Chiang,
Miami Herald,
24 Apr. 2025
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Not without its controversy, like life, the show has tried to demonstrate that family can overcome anything with love, laughter, and conversation.—
DeVonne Goode,
Parents,
24 Apr. 2025
Verb
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The speech also tackled an issue that has foxed previous governments: reforming the House of Lords.—
Jill Lawless,
The Christian Science Monitor,
17 July 2024
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Raccoon: Raccoon is very similar to fox but rarely comes in any other colors besides that of a typical raccoon which is naturally ombré.—
Liana Satenstein,
Marie Claire,
13 Feb. 2014
Cite this Entry
“Outfox.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/outfox. Accessed 3 May. 2025.
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