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
  1. outsmarting
  2. defeating
  3. thwarting
  4. deceiving
  5. outmaneuvering
  6. overcoming
  7. fooling
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
  • Green Bay’s odds of defeating the Bears in its Wild Game were at 96% with 5 minutes left, yet the Packers lost all three of those games.
    — Rob Reischel, Forbes.com, 26 July 2026
  • But there was another prophecy, and this one said that Odysseus must leave Ithaca again after defeating his enemies.
    — Louisa Thomas, New Yorker, 24 July 2026
Definition of defeating
Verb
  • Some blame the Big Ten and SEC for thwarting the legislation.
    — Burgess Everett, semafor.com, 20 July 2026
  • Even with a broken right ring finger, 33-year-old Emiliano Martinez kept thwarting the Spaniards.
    — Thomas Floyd, Washington Post, 20 July 2026
Definition of thwarting
Verb
  • All the wig and makeup work put into deceiving their people isn’t needed in the first place.
    — Michael Ashley, Forbes.com, 22 July 2026
  • Those figures, though, are a bit deceiving; infant and childhood mortality dragged them down dramatically.
    — Adam Cohen, Oklahoman, 30 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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Cite this Entry

“Outwitting.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/outwitting. Accessed 28 Jul. 2026.

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Nglish: Translation of outwitting for Spanish Speakers

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