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 target, thinking himself clever, buys and introduces the cards into the game, unwittingly outfoxed.
—
Adam Gopnik, New Yorker, 4 Aug. 2025
In motorsport, Minis used their agility to outfox more powerful rivals, but here the engine no longer feels like a supporting act.
—Tim Pitt, Robb Report, 30 July 2025
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
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
Adam Gopnik, New Yorker, 4 Aug. 2025
In motorsport, Minis used their agility to outfox more powerful rivals, but here the engine no longer feels like a supporting act.
—Tim Pitt, Robb Report, 30 July 2025
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
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
Verb
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Maduro has in any case outwitted dozens of attempts to depose him over the years.—
Quico Toro,
The Atlantic,
4 Nov. 2025
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Time and Numbers—there’s no outwitting them.—
Joy Williams,
Harpers Magazine,
24 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Tuchel came to Monaco for a meeting with United’s leaders two weeks after the FA Cup final, in which Ten Hag’s side outsmarted and defeated Manchester City for a momentous win.—
Andy Mitten,
New York Times,
1 Nov. 2025
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Chris Hemsworth and Halle Berry team up to outsmart Mark Ruffalo in a new trailer for their heist movie Crime 101.—
Katherine Schaffstall,
HollywoodReporter,
23 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Mamdani will lead a city of over 8 million people, the capital of media, finance and much else, whose annual budget tops $116 billion, after outmaneuvering rivals with decades more experience in a race that captured national attention.—
Jill Goldsmith,
Deadline,
5 Nov. 2025
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Alongside her estranged husband Ryan, the devout Moses (Hill), and new allies Samson (Feliz) and Delilah (Obsidian), Virginia must outmaneuver billionaire cult leader Luther Bell, played with magnetic menace by Esposito.—
Okla Jones,
Essence,
4 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Will Baltimore manage to thwart a Vikings rushing attack that gashed the Lions for 142 yards, cause McCarthy to assume a heavier load than Minnesota’s coaches would like and force the first-year starter into youthful mistakes?—
Mike Jones,
New York Times,
9 Nov. 2025
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But with the teams back to even strength a short time later, Kirill Kaprizov got loose in the middle of the offensive zone and made a rush to the net that was thwarted.—
Jess Myers,
Twin Cities,
7 Nov. 2025
Verb
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Bode’s comment was strictly in reference to the character of the Wizard of Oz, who uses propaganda to manipulate and deceive his subjects in Wicked.—
Hannah Dailey,
Billboard,
7 Nov. 2025
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As Venus enters Scorpio, your love life appears quiet, but appearances can be deceiving!—
USA TODAY,
USA Today,
6 Nov. 2025
Verb
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Pelosi retires and Dems begin generational civil war Nancy Pelosi, 85, announced her retirement yesterday as a new generation of much younger Democrats bridles against the elderly cadre under former President Biden, 82, who led them to defeat in the last presidential election.—
Geoff Colvin,
Fortune,
7 Nov. 2025
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He and Democrat Rebecca Cooke may be headed for a rematch in 2026, after Van Orden defeated Cooke in 2024.—
Molly Beck,
jsonline.com,
7 Nov. 2025
Verb
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Among those highlighted will be Amanda, a refugee and the first Miss Trans Global Uganda; Sarah, who overcame sight loss to support LGBTQ+ people with disabilities while running marathons; and Leo, a speaker and life coach with dyskinetic cerebral palsy.—
Sophie Williams,
Billboard,
6 Nov. 2025
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Fortunately, modern nandina cultivars like 'Lemon-Lime' from the Southern Living Plant Collection have been bred to overcome these problems.—
Kim Toscano,
Southern Living,
6 Nov. 2025
Verb
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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
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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
Cite this Entry
“Outfox.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/outfox. Accessed 17 Nov. 2025.
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