Thesaurus results for OUTWIT

outwit

verb

ˌau̇t-ˈwit

Definition of outwit

as in to outsmart

to get the better of through cleverness a plan to outwit their opponents at their own game

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 outwit Out of the first 3,000 participants, only three adults managed to outwit the kids and win the million-dollar grand prize. — Greg Petro, Forbes.com, 11 June 2026 The Bed Rot Challenge is a new reality competition web series in which stars from Survivor, The Traitors, Love Island USA, The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives, The Bachelorette, and Beast Games will attempt to outwit and outlast each other… on a bed. — Dalton Ross, Entertainment Weekly, 27 May 2026 Towering over the town is another, much bigger, Venetian fort, the Palamidhi (named after Palamedes, Nafplio’s legendarily clever local hero, who outwitted Odysseus and, well, didn’t live long enough to regret it). — Helen Brown, TheWeek, 30 Apr. 2026 Twenty-six years ago, students treated a visit by then-President Bill Clinton as a challenge, and outwitted the Secret Service by secretly rigging a banner to unfurl at an inopportune moment. — Graeme Wood, The Atlantic, 26 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for outwit

Recent Examples of Synonyms for outwit

Verb

The family-friendly mythological comedy follows eight ordinary mortals who must use their collective wit and courage to outsmart formidable deities, ultimately earning the legendary title of the Eight Immortals.

— Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 20 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

Definition of outsmart

Verb

Apple's September launch of the iPhone 18 Pro is a calculated strategic move to outmaneuver Android competitors, including Samsung and Google.

— Ewan Spence, Forbes.com, 11 July 2026
In the end, Seattle outmaneuvered and outbodied the Sparks, snatching steals and flipping the ball around the perimeter until the Storm fired off a shot.

— Liana Handler, Los Angeles Times, 7 July 2026

Definition of outmaneuver

Verb

Ukraine has developed drones and electronic warfare to thwart nearly all attack drones but not fast-moving missiles.

— Joanna Kakissis, NPR, 22 July 2026
Indian troops were deployed to thwart Chinese advances but were reportedly inadequately supplied, underprepared, and overwhelmed.

— Encyclopedia Britannica, Encyclopedia Britannica, 22 July 2026

Definition of thwart

Verb

In an era when AI generates convincing falsehoods at scale and a third of teenagers report being deceived by fake content online, the ability to weigh evidence critically is not an academic exercise but a plain necessity.

— Rajiv Vinnakota, Forbes.com, 20 July 2026
Andreas Schjelderup opened the scoring with a spectacular cross-shot that deceived Jordan Pickford and, although Jude Bellingham struck back for England in first-half stoppage time, Norway looked the more likely winners as the second period wore on.

— Oliver Kay, New York Times, 12 July 2026

Definition of deceive

Verb

The defending men’s singles champion is Serbia’s Novak Djokovic, who defeated Spain’s Carlos Alcaraz in the gold medal match in 2024; the defending women’s champion is China’s Zheng Qinwen, who defeated Croatia’s Donna Vekić.

— Matthew Futterman, New York Times, 24 July 2026
Drones alone cannot defeat the Russian army, and the culture of Silicon Valley cannot supplant the need for military discipline, Syrsky argued in a column for Militarnyi, a Ukrainian publication focused on defense.

— Simon Shuster, The Atlantic, 24 July 2026

Definition of defeat

Verb

The team overcame significant injuries to finish 12-5 last season and win a playoff game as Shanahan finished fifth in voting for NFL Coach of the Year.

— Josh Dubow, Chicago Tribune, 25 July 2026
For example, while Messi may be today’s superstar, he was overcome by a coordinated system; so investing in the organization is critical.

— Bhaskar Chakravorti, Fortune, 25 July 2026

Definition of overcome

Verb

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
But even foxes can outfox themselves by their own designs.

— Jeffrey Sonnenfeld, Time, 20 Jan. 2026

Definition of outfox

Verb

OpenAI's Atlas was once fooled into sending a resignation letter, and Perplexity's Comet exposed user data in tests.

— Robert J. Szczerba, Forbes.com, 23 July 2026
Very difficult to fool, harder to stack and tough enough to play in the box, Moore is exactly what the NFL wants out of a corner in today’s game.

— Nick Baumgardner, New York Times, 22 July 2026

Definition of fool

Browse Nearby Words

outweighs

outwit

outwits

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Style

“Outwit.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/outwit. Accessed 27 Jul. 2026.

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Synonyms of outwit

verb

Example Sentences

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