Thesaurus results for OUTSMARTED

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

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 the northwest suburban 8th District, Krishnamoorthi will hand the seat back to fellow centrist Melissa Bean, who also defeated more progressive candidates in the primary.

— Olivia Olander, Chicago Tribune, 8 Nov. 2026
Pulido defeated Republican incumbent Monica De La Cruz, who took jabs at his showbiz background during her campaign.

— Emily St. Martin, Los Angeles Times, 8 Nov. 2026

Definition of defeated

Verb

But don’t be deceived, these are not primarily poems of the body, though the animal body–the dog, the human, meat– return throughout.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 2 Nov. 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.

— ABC News, ABC News, 21 Oct. 2026

Definition of deceived

Verb

The attorney general says an accusation that Wiles thwarted a MAHA initiative to protect sugar industry contributions isn’t cause for DOJ scrutiny.

— Violet Jira, Washington Post, 8 Nov. 2026
France’s national blood service, which 1,900 hospitals rely on, said Tuesday that hackers raised the temperature at cold storage units, but the attack was thwarted before any damage was done.

— Brendan Ruberry, semafor.com, 4 Nov. 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

One play later, on third-and-long, Darnold got fooled by a Cover 2 trap coverage and Ja’Quan McMillian picked him off, setting up the Broncos’ walk-off field goal.

— Parker Gabriel, Denver Post, 6 Nov. 2026
Don't be fooled by the affordable price, because your opponents will be the ones paying.

— George Yang, PC Magazine, 6 Nov. 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

Aaron Ekblad added two assists and Jacob Markstrom made 37 saves as the Panthers overcame a 38-28 shot disadvantage to snap a two-game losing streak and improve to 6-0-0 when leading after two periods.

— Miami Herald, Miami Herald, 11 Nov. 2026
Less than six months ago, the Knicks furiously overcame a 22-point fourth-quarter deficit against the Cleveland Cavaliers in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals.

— Peter Sblendorio, New York Daily News, 11 Nov. 2026

Definition of overcame

Browse Nearby Words

outsmart

outsmarted

outsmarting

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“Outsmarted.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/outsmarted. Accessed 15 Nov. 2026.

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Synonyms of outsmarted

verb

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