outsmarted

verb

past tense of outsmart
as in outwitted
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 outsmarted While Shadab outsmarted England pace with his brilliant batting, Rauf gave him ample support by sensibly not going for expansive shots. — ABC News, 25 Oct. 2026 But this will be forever known as a day when football’s smartest organization got outsmarted, when football’s best coach fumbled and when the San Francisco 49ers turned football’s giants into so much shrimp on the barbie. — Los Angeles Times, 11 Sep. 2026 After being humiliated and outsmarted when Julia escaped his grasp with Henry’s help in the season one finale, Lovat is presumably more dangerous than ever — and Henry will need to find a way back to save her once again. — Max Gao, HollywoodReporter, 31 Aug. 2026 For fun, its creator Antonio Prohias also introduced a third agent who often outsmarted both. — Will Townsend, Forbes.com, 7 Aug. 2026 This disease did not retreat because the bacterium weakened or because humanity outsmarted it. — Katrine L. Wallace, The Conversation, 29 July 2026 The world’s leading superpower was outsmarted by Iran, perhaps because Iran’s secretary of defense took his job seriously. — Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 29 June 2026 Meanwhile, Tyreese is outsmarted by the Terminus Tiger Fan, who grabs baby Judith and threatens to snap her neck unless Tyreese walks unarmed into a herd of walkers outside. — Ew Staff, Entertainment Weekly, 25 June 2026 And some of the bees that technically failed the test may have actually outsmarted their contemporaries—by learning to work smarter, not harder. — Adam Kovac, Scientific American, 4 June 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for outsmarted
  1. outwitted
  2. defeated
  3. deceived
  4. thwarted
  5. outmaneuvered
  6. fooled
  7. outfoxed
  8. overcame
Verb
  • 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
  • For Deschamps and Stephan, there was no shortage of blame after Spain’s Luis de la Fuente outwitted the French coaching staff for the third time, following wins at the 2024 European Championship and last year’s Nations League semi-final.
    — Adam Crafton, New York Times, 16 July 2026
Definition of outwitted
Verb
  • In 2026, Keiko Fujimori narrowly defeated a left-wing candidate to win the Peruvian presidency, while most recently, in Colombia, conservative attorney Abelardo de la Espriella bested left-wing Senator Ivan Cepeda.
    — David Unsworth, FOXNews.com, 25 Oct. 2026
  • Since Baker Mayfield signed with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2023, the Panthers have defeated their division rivals just once in the past seven meetings, including Carolina’s 43-13 blowout loss at home Sunday.
    — Charlotte Observer, Charlotte Observer, 25 Oct. 2026
Definition of defeated
Verb
  • Attorneys for New Mexico argued that the state's entire population, not just Facebook users, were deceived by the company's public statements about privacy on the platform.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 21 Oct. 2026
  • Attorneys for New Mexico argued that the state’s entire population, not just Facebook users, were deceived by the company’s public statements about privacy on the platform.
    — Mikella Schuettler, Fortune, 21 Oct. 2026
Definition of deceived
Verb
  • Every time the twitchy little bug stops for a moment, Snaggletooth focuses to prepare a pounce, only to be thwarted as the fatty snack buzzes to another spot in the nest.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 27 Oct. 2026
  • The local ceasefire is due to last through Saturday, or longer, though deep mistrust between Russia and Ukraine has thwarted previous attempts at ceasefires.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 26 Oct. 2026
Definition of thwarted
Verb
  • First-year Cardinals coach Mike LaFleur, the Rams’ former offensive coordinator, outcoached and outmaneuvered McVay, his friend and mentor.
    — Assistant Sports Editor, Los Angeles Times, 19 Oct. 2026
  • 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
Definition of outmaneuvered
Verb
  • The Pleiades open star cluster Don't be fooled by their beauty; the blue-white stars of the Pleiades are dripping in spooky lore.
    — Anthony Wood, Space.com, 24 Oct. 2026
  • Raleek Brown had 157 yards rushing, including a 47-yard run that set up Manning's 1-yard stroll untouched around the end for a 31-24 lead when his fake handoff fooled everyone.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 24 Oct. 2026
Definition of fooled
Verb
  • Across two seasons packed with twisty machinations, Jung’s virtuous prosecutor Jang Geon-young attempted to pin down Hyun’s shamelessly corrupt — but effortlessly cool — intelligence officer Baek Ki-tae, only to be outfoxed at every turn.
    — Patrick Brzeski, HollywoodReporter, 24 Sep. 2026
  • Gauff dug in, matched Badosa’s power, and outfoxed her when the opportunities arose.
    — Matthew Futterman, New York Times, 8 Sep. 2026
Definition of outfoxed
Verb
  • Three teams overcame double-digit deficits to win in Week 7, with one of the teams that blew the lead not a surprise.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 28 Oct. 2026
  • His energy off the bench helped shift the team’s 132-123 win over the Utah Jazz on Sunday when the Lakers overcame a lifeless first quarter.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 27 Oct. 2026
Definition of overcame

Browse Nearby Words

outsmart
outsmarted
outsmarting
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Cite this Entry

“Outsmarted.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/outsmarted. Accessed 1 Nov. 2026.

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