as in to outwit
to get the better of through cleverness
outmaneuvered his congressional opponent by co-opting his call for change in Washington
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
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 outmaneuver
Heavy doses of match coverage take heavy doses of mental discipline, and the Broncos were outmaneuvered a few too many times by Jacksonville.
—
Luca Evans, Denver Post, 23 Dec. 2025
Ekman-Larsson was beaten for position in front of the net on the first one and then turned over the puck (and missed on a big neutral zone hit), which led to the second one as his partner, Rielly, was outmaneuvered for position in front of Dennis Hildeby.
—Jonas Siegel, New York Times, 14 Dec. 2025
But Bessent outmaneuvered his rival with the help of an unusual coalition that included MAGA figures like Bannon and Navarro and Wall Street elites who had a history of tension with Lutnick.
—Ben Smith, semafor.com, 8 Dec. 2025
As a result, the collapse of Stockmann’s crusade feels rushed—especially in the pivotal town-meeting scene, in which his brother, the mayor, outmaneuvers him and fellow-citizens shout him down.
—Alex Ross, New Yorker, 1 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for outmaneuver
Luca Evans, Denver Post, 23 Dec. 2025
Ekman-Larsson was beaten for position in front of the net on the first one and then turned over the puck (and missed on a big neutral zone hit), which led to the second one as his partner, Rielly, was outmaneuvered for position in front of Dennis Hildeby.
—Jonas Siegel, New York Times, 14 Dec. 2025
But Bessent outmaneuvered his rival with the help of an unusual coalition that included MAGA figures like Bannon and Navarro and Wall Street elites who had a history of tension with Lutnick.
—Ben Smith, semafor.com, 8 Dec. 2025
As a result, the collapse of Stockmann’s crusade feels rushed—especially in the pivotal town-meeting scene, in which his brother, the mayor, outmaneuvers him and fellow-citizens shout him down.
—Alex Ross, New Yorker, 1 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for outmaneuver
Recent Examples of Synonyms for outmaneuver
Verb
-
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
-
Her adrenal gland would begin to work overtime and she’d be lifted up, energized, hunted, and desperate to outwit her attacker and survive.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
14 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
There’s also the Travelon Anti-theft Classic Mini Shoulder Bag designed to outsmart pickpockets, plus the Taygeer Travel Backpack that can easily replace your carry-on.—
Chaise Sanders,
Travel + Leisure,
29 Jan. 2026
-
Williams did not play the cool heel or try to outsmart everyone.—
Rob Wolkenbrod,
Forbes.com,
24 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Top of mind is a package of six appropriations bills that must pass by Friday to thwart a partial government shutdown.—
Adam Beam,
AJC.com,
27 Jan. 2026
-
Attorneys representing the federal government have characterized the state and local challenges as an attempt to thwart law enforcement and impede their federal duties.—
Alex Derosier,
Twin Cities,
26 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Although appearances can be deceiving.—
Frank Scheck,
HollywoodReporter,
26 Jan. 2026
-
Ah, but appearances can be deceiving.—
Jim Harrington,
Mercury News,
26 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Timberwolves head coach Chris Finch also spoke before his squad defeated the Cleveland Cavaliers.—
Scott Thompson,
FOXNews.com,
30 Jan. 2026
-
These therapies are not universally successful, of course, but can often save lives and defeat cancers where other methods are unsuccessful.—
Big Think,
Big Think,
30 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
The Global Compassion Coalition says that the first step to overcoming helplessness is to practice acceptance instead of resistance, which is a hard pill to take at the moment.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
28 Jan. 2026
-
One night after the Warriors snapped Minnesota's 103-game streak of scoring at least 100 points — the third-longest in NBA history — the Timberwolves overcame a cold start from the floor and 23 turnovers.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
27 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Liv Morgan begged for a tag, but she was outfoxed by a blind tag from Rhea Ripley.—
Alfred Konuwa,
Forbes.com,
25 Jan. 2026
-
But even foxes can outfox themselves by their own designs.—
Jeffrey Sonnenfeld,
Time,
20 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
As loyalties blur and tensions erupt, survival depends on who can outthink – and outgun – everyone else.—
Andreas Wiseman,
Deadline,
13 Jan. 2026
-
The real edge is in responsiveness − the ability to outthink, outproduce and outmaneuver its competitor.—
Andrew Latham,
The Conversation,
29 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Outmaneuver.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/outmaneuver. Accessed 2 Feb. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
