as in defeating
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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for outfoxing
Verb
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Southern had won its second NCAA Tournament game in the First Four, defeating Samford 65-53.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
21 Mar. 2026 -
The Mustangs won the California Community College Athletic Association (3C2A) title Sunday, defeating MiraCosta 78-71.—
Charlie Lapastora,
CBS News,
20 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Folktales are filled with people fighting to survive in forests, steppes, and deserts, and evading and outwitting the wild beasts that dwell within them.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
18 Feb. 2026
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The characters here, though, are nowhere near so smart as those conniving pagans and can only dream of outwitting the sophisticated folk from the mainland, coming there with their talk of cake, and comfy chairs, and their lies.—
Damon Wise,
Deadline,
22 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Predicting mosquito behavior is a first step toward outsmarting them.—
David Hu,
The Conversation,
18 Mar. 2026
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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
Verb
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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
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Ian Terry won Big Brother season 14 at just 21 years old, becoming the show’s youngest champion after outmaneuvering veteran players with a quiet — but highly calculated — game.—
Samantha Stutsman,
PEOPLE,
8 Jan. 2026
Verb
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In Florida, more government agencies are thwarting the public’s right to know, including attempts to hide the details behind Alligator Alcatraz.—
David Cuillier,
Sun Sentinel,
18 Mar. 2026
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In addition to thwarting complications, glues and netting can also abate bruising and swelling after facelift surgery, curtailing patients’ recovery.—
Jolene Edgar,
Allure,
16 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Nope, that's not your eyes deceiving you.—
Christina Perrier,
InStyle,
15 Mar. 2026
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There is the belief, one expressed by Payton, that free agents can be deceiving.—
Troy Renck,
Denver Post,
11 Mar. 2026
Verb
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This prototype may offer a sustainable solution for long-term exploration on Earth and other planets by overcoming the need for batteries.—
Mrigakshi Dixit,
Interesting Engineering,
20 Mar. 2026
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Founded by a young mother overcoming thyroid cancer, the brand was created to inspire hope, strength and faith during life’s hardest seasons.—
Tory Johnson,
ABC News,
19 Mar. 2026
Verb
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But Baio says Kassotis has been fooling people for years.—
Erin Moriarty,
CBS News,
8 Mar. 2026
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Indeed, depth would only get in the way of the plot, which is primarily concerned with fooling you and fooling you again.—
Television Critic,
Los Angeles Times,
7 Feb. 2026
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Cite this Entry
“Outfoxing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/outfoxing. Accessed 25 Mar. 2026.
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