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
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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
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
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Selecting a college major is not an exercise in outsmarting the admissions system.
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Mosquitoes just might be outsmarting us Mosquitoes may be beating us at our own game − by making repellent attractive.
Verb
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The girls posted a 6-2 record at the state tournament in a field of 50 of Southern California’s top 12U teams with several extra-inning and walk-off wins, defeating multiple district champions, including San Juan Capistrano and Oxnard.
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Another democratic socialist, 29-year-old Melat Kiros, won a congressional primary in Colorado on June 30, defeating a longtime Democratic incumbent.
Verb
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But even as democratic governments have become more proficient and more technologically adept at thwarting terrorists, some in our societies have become insensitive, or even callous, about the civilizational consequences of terror and violence.
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Yet, Rob-Will walked out of rehab, and is intent on thwarting the ceremonial ranch handover to heir-apparent Joaquin.
Verb
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Those figures, though, are a bit deceiving; infant and childhood mortality dragged them down dramatically.
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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.
Verb
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Two generals agreed with Ashley's characterization, stressing the view that on the front lines, Ukraine was outmaneuvering Russia.
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Rather than overpowering them with brute force, German forces managed to defeat the French and British forces in the Battle of France (1940) by simply outmaneuvering them.
Verb
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Forward-looking firms are overcoming this by deploying advanced technical strategies.
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Normal matter can’t be stuffed into a space tiny and dense enough without overcoming a huge outward pressure.
Verb
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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.
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The other is fooling humans, particularly the dwindling number of journalists, critics, and other gatekeepers who are still capable of conferring legitimacy by paying attention.
Cite this Entry
“Outwitting.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/outwitting. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.
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