SECOND-GUESSED Synonyms: 82 Similar and Opposite Words

second-guessed

verb

past tense of second-guess

as in outmaneuvered

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as in speculated (about)

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Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for second-guessed

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

Forcing Riyadh back to that table Perhaps the most important factor, however, is that the Houthis reasoned conditions on the ground were increasingly favorable for an offensive.

— Mahad D. Darar, The Conversation, 17 Sep. 2026
However, the district reasoned that Santa Fe’s site would be able to deliver a safer and more modern building due to the property’s acreage and access points.

— Taylor O'Connor, Kansas City Star, 15 Sep. 2026

Definition of reasoned

Verb

The states and the WGA, which also sued to block the merger, balked at the request.

— Meg James, Los Angeles Times, 21 Sep. 2026
Such a proposal could cost more than $1 trillion at a time when the nation faces a record $40 trillion debt and even some Republicans balked at the idea of tying direct payments to election results.

— Lisa Mascaro, Fortune, 10 Sep. 2026

Definition of balked

Verb

China appears to be building a large surface vessel specifically designed to launch, recover, and support submarine-sized uncrewed underwater vehicles, according to satellite imagery analyzed by naval experts.

— Kaif Shaikh, Interesting Engineering, 17 Sep. 2026
León-Portilla wrote extensively about the conquest of Mexico from the Mexica viewpoint, documented the philosophy of Aztec intellectuals and analyzed poems in Nahuatl — the language of the Mexica empire.

— Carlos De Loera, Los Angeles Times, 17 Sep. 2026

Definition of analyzed

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

Bonnell was a probationary officer with the Porter County Sheriff's Office, and was fired on Monday after the department reviewed the incident, according to the sheriff's office.

— Todd Feurer, CBS News, 21 Sep. 2026
Matthews, however, immediately challenged the decision, and the matter was subsequently reviewed in May 2026.

— Stefania Conrieri, Vanity Fair, 21 Sep. 2026

Definition of reviewed

Verb

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, 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

Definition of outsmarted

Verb

The grand jury and Jackson County District Attorney Angel Myers McIlrath both concluded those allegations were baseless.

— Adam Sabes, FOXNews.com, 22 Sep. 2026
The first phase of the competition concluded in late August, with all 25,000 relationships between polynomials and symmetry groups realized.

— Lyndie Chiou, Scientific American, 22 Sep. 2026

Definition of concluded

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.

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second-guess

second-guessed

second-guesses

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“Second-guessed.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/second-guessed. Accessed 24 Sep. 2026.

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Synonyms of second-guessed

verb

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