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 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 Instead of drafting franchise cornerstones in JaMarr Chase or Penei Sewell, ex-GM Chris Grier outsmarted himself. — Barry Jackson, Miami Herald, 24 Apr. 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

The Oregon Ducks defeated Boise State 34-27 in Week 1 but have since lost to Oklahoma State and, this weekend, to UCLA.

— Shaun Goodwin, Idaho Statesman, 11 Oct. 2026
The Valkyries defeated the defending champion Las Vegas Aces on Friday night to advance to next week’s Finals, led by an overtime scoring flurry from Gabby Williams in their 87-77 win.

— Sara Germano, Sportico.com, 10 Oct. 2026

Definition of defeated

Verb

Some veterans say recruiters deceived them and Haitian authorities tortured them; their families call them scapegoats.

— Astrid Suárez, Los Angeles Times, 7 Oct. 2026
Some of the Colombians have long maintained that they were deceived about the mission and arrived at the home after Moïse had already been killed.

— Jacqueline Charles, Miami Herald, 7 Oct. 2026

Definition of deceived

Verb

As a major bloc that has been able to apply pressure, the union has thwarted several efforts by Mamdani’s predecessors to ban the attraction, as hundreds of carriage operators make a living operating the buggies.

— Claire Carter, The Washington Examiner, 14 Oct. 2026
On the next play, Bolden sacked Russell and thwarted the Crimson Tide’s chances of kicking a game-tying field goal.

— Ryan Gaydos OutKick, FOXNews.com, 11 Oct. 2026

Definition of thwarted

Verb

Kyle Shanahan, the 49ers’ coach who doubles as McVay’s friend, mentor and nemesis, outmaneuvered McVay again.

— Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 11 Sep. 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

Don’t be fooled by the big numbers that these guys throw around in their ballots.

— Miami Herald, Miami Herald, 14 Oct. 2026
Despite all the criticism that has pummeled the club since it was found guilty of over 100 charges relating to financial breaches, you could be fooled into thinking nothing was wrong.

— Ben Church, CNN Money, 14 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

The move comes after the Astros overcame a plethora of injuries to win the AL West with an 81-81 record and become the first team in Major League Baseball history to reach the postseason without a winning record.

— ABC News, ABC News, 14 Oct. 2026
The Cardinals overcame a 2-0 deficit to beat the Dodgers, 4-2, in the NLCS, while the Royals rallied from 2-0 down to defeat the Blue Jays, 4-3, in the ALCS.

— OutKick, FOXNews.com, 14 Oct. 2026

Definition of overcame

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outsmart

outsmarted

outsmarting

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“Outsmarted.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/outsmarted. Accessed 18 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of outsmarted

verb

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