Thesaurus results for OUTWITTING

outwitting

verb

present participle of outwit

as in outsmarting

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 outwitting Similar storm-clouds are now gathering around Sánchez, a canny politician known for outwitting his opponents. — Tim Lister, CNN Money, 21 June 2026 Bob Markle was good at outwitting violators. — Dave Duffey, Outdoor Life, 26 Mar. 2026 Folktales are filled with people fighting to survive in forests, steppes, and deserts, and evading and outwitting the wild beasts that dwell within them. — Literary Hub, 18 Feb. 2026 The characters here, though, are nowhere near so smart as those conniving pagans and can only dream of outwitting the sophisticated folk from the mainland, coming there with their talk of cake, and comfy chairs, and their lies. — Damon Wise, Deadline, 22 Jan. 2026 Time and Numbers—there’s no outwitting them. — Joy Williams, Harpers Magazine, 24 Oct. 2025 Ben Shapiro, Pete Buttigieg, Michael Knowles, Alex O’Connor—these are professional debaters capable of outwitting and outreasoning almost any audience member unfamiliar with traditional debate techniques, regardless of the topic or claim being considered. — Brady Brickner-Wood, New Yorker, 8 Aug. 2025

Recent Examples of Synonyms for outwitting

Verb

Selecting a college major is not an exercise in outsmarting the admissions system.

— Christopher Rim, Forbes.com, 25 June 2026
Mosquitoes just might be outsmarting us Mosquitoes may be beating us at our own game − by making repellent attractive.

— Robert Abitbol, USA Today, 13 June 2026

Definition of outsmarting

Verb

Tsitsipas, who has been through injury turmoil and a cycle of hiring and firing his father, Apostolos, as his coach, took the Swiss Open title in Gstaad, defeating Belgium’s Raphaël Collignon 6-4, 6-7 (3), 6-3 to win his first title in over a year.

— James Hansen, New York Times, 20 July 2026
Spain reclaimed football's biggest prize on Sunday, defeating Argentina 1-0 after extra time in a tense World Cup final that delivered high drama both on and off the pitch.

— Lee Ying Shan, CNBC, 20 July 2026

Definition of defeating

Verb

States are acting despite an executive order by Trump aimed at thwarting state-level regulation of AI.

— Bloomberg, Mercury News, 15 July 2026
As Ukraine’s expanding drone campaign targets Russian supply lines, ships and even Moscow’s outskirts, Russia answers with heavy strikes on Ukrainian cities and claims of thwarting massive covert attacks on key air bases.

— Emma Carmichael, Los Angeles Times, 13 July 2026

Definition of thwarting

Verb

Those figures, though, are a bit deceiving; infant and childhood mortality dragged them down dramatically.

— Adam Cohen, Oklahoman, 30 June 2026
Appearance, though, can be deceiving, but luckily, this shed is still packed with smart features and a clever design that will keep all your belongings safe.

— Shea Simmons, Southern Living, 29 June 2026

Definition of deceiving

Verb

May built one of the most dominant teams in Big Ten history by outmaneuvering his peers in the transfer portal.

— Austin Meek, New York Times, 30 June 2026
Two generals agreed with Ashley's characterization, stressing the view that on the front lines, Ukraine was outmaneuvering Russia.

— Aidan Stretch, CBS News, 9 June 2026

Definition of outmaneuvering

Verb

The biggest event in the sporting calendar drew to a close at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey as Spain were crowned world champions for the second time, overcoming Argentina in one of the most dominant finals in recent memory.

— Mark Carey, New York Times, 21 July 2026
Emotional intelligence, particularly self-awareness, is crucial to overcoming it.

— Kevin Kruse, Forbes.com, 21 July 2026

Definition of overcoming

Verb

Throughout all the commotion, Romelu Lukaku acted as decoy, holding on to the ball, fooling everyone, including the TV producer, who pulled up a graphic showing his recent penalty record.

— Geir Jordet, New York Times, 15 July 2026
Speaking on Harvard Business School’s The Founder Mindset podcast, hosted by senior lecturer and serial entrepreneur Reza Satchu, the Shark Tank investor argued that anyone trying to balance a young company against the rest of their life is fooling themselves.

— Sydney Lake, Fortune, 17 June 2026

Definition of fooling

Browse Nearby Words

outwitted

outwitting

outwore

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“Outwitting.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/outwitting. Accessed 22 Jul. 2026.

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Synonyms of outwitting

verb

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