outsmart

verb

ˌau̇t-ˈsmärt How to pronounce outsmart (audio)
Definition of outsmartnext
as in to outwit
to get the better of through cleverness an inexpensive security system that would likely be outsmarted by anyone with a serious interest in circumventing it

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 outsmart The Fan, the season-long unsub obsessed with one-upping and outsmarting his idol. — Joyce Eng, Entertainment Weekly, 23 July 2026 Fedorov, meanwhile, represents technological innovation and a determination to outsmart the country’s more powerful invader. — Mithil Aggarwal, NBC news, 21 July 2026 McClair, a scurrying cerebral Glaswegian signed from Celtic and one of the few players to outsmart his boss Sir Alex Ferguson, had become the first in 20 years, since Best, to score 20 league goals for United. — Andy Mitten, New York Times, 17 July 2026 Outflanked by cruel and fickle gods at every turn, legendary Greek hero Odysseus outsmarted a one-eyed giant, suffered through the bewitching Sirens’ song and braved the Underworld’s dead denizens. — Alex Pulaski, Los Angeles Times, 8 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for outsmart
Recent Examples of Synonyms for outsmart
  1. outwit
  2. thwart
  3. outmaneuver
  4. deceive
  5. defeat
  6. overcome
  7. outfox
  8. fool
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
  • Gilligan’s Island, American television sitcom about a group of castaways on a desert island and the chaos that ensues as their attempts at rescue are constantly thwarted.
    — Encyclopedia Britannica, Encyclopedia Britannica, 5 Aug. 2026
  • Recyclers have been thwarted by PVC’s chemical architecture, specifically its heavy chlorine content and dense cocktail of additives, which make melting and mechanical reprocessing almost impossible.
    — Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 5 Aug. 2026
Definition of thwart
Verb
  • 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
  • But while in theory, a superhuman AI system might outmaneuver even the most secure containers, there are also actions AI companies could take right now to improve security.
    — Harry Booth, Time, 24 July 2026
Definition of outmaneuver
Verb
  • Such a lease, however, would disqualify a hospice from obtaining a license, and a provider would need to intentionally deceive inspectors to disguise a day office, experts said.
    — Jason Henry, Daily News, 9 Aug. 2026
  • Someone who has maintained an entire second family has demonstrated a willingness to deceive you over an extended period of time.
    — Jann Blackstone, Boston Herald, 9 Aug. 2026
Definition of deceive
Verb
  • Martínez was a headache to both pitchers, hitting a grand slam against Sandlin and finishing with a career-high six RBIs as the Guardians defeated the Sox 8-2.
    — LaMond Pope, Chicago Tribune, 8 Aug. 2026
  • But the technology for defeating ballistic missiles has advanced significantly since the Cold War.
    — Nathan Hodge, CNN Money, 7 Aug. 2026
Definition of defeat
Verb
  • Prosecutors will have to overcome a few key hurdles in their case.
    — Eric Levenson, CNN Money, 9 Aug. 2026
  • Four firefighters were killed and a fifth was injured after they were overcome by a fast-moving wildfire in Colorado, near the Utah border, in June.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 8 Aug. 2026
Definition of overcome
Verb
  • Whenever Rebecca can outfox him, Rupert manages to manipulate situations, which is how the Water sign aims to take control of matters.
    — Lisa Stardust, PEOPLE, 5 Aug. 2026
  • Hansi Flick stands in the iconic ground’s dugout, and a Mourinho believed to be past his best would have to find a way to outfox the German and unravel his high-scoring outfit with a defensive high line.
    — Tom Sanderson, Forbes.com, 3 June 2026
Definition of outfox
Verb
  • Do not be fooled by icing that maybe has a little bit of cream cheese in it.
    — AJ Willingham, AJC.com, 8 Aug. 2026
  • At the Black Hat security conference, one researcher demonstrated a way to fool current facial recognition models with a little help from the fashion world.
    — Kim Key, PC Magazine, 7 Aug. 2026
Definition of fool

Browse Nearby Words

outslicks
outsmart
outsmarted
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Outsmart.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/outsmart. Accessed 11 Aug. 2026.

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