as in to outwit
to get the better of through cleverness
an inexpensive security system that would likely be outsmarted by anyone with a serious interest in circumventing it
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Recent Examples of outsmart
To take back her freedom, Sara builds alliances and hunts for ways to outsmart the devices monitoring her dreams.
—
Erin Douglass, The Christian Science Monitor, 14 Mar. 2025
The plot might seem repetitive, going back and forth between Violet trying to follow the anonymous rules and worming her way out of them to seek help (only to be outsmarted), but the movie’s exciting, stage-like formal flourishes and its disorienting lensing keep things moving smoothly.
—Siddhant Adlakha, Variety, 10 Mar. 2025
Whether or not the owner can outsmart her snack-savvy puppy remains to be shared on their profile.
—Gordon G. Chang, Newsweek, 3 Mar. 2025
But in this sweaty, smoky shootout, filmed in 100-degree Louisiana weather, Terry outsmarts rather than outmuscles, and outmaneuvers rather than outshoots.
—Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 27 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for outsmart
Erin Douglass, The Christian Science Monitor, 14 Mar. 2025
The plot might seem repetitive, going back and forth between Violet trying to follow the anonymous rules and worming her way out of them to seek help (only to be outsmarted), but the movie’s exciting, stage-like formal flourishes and its disorienting lensing keep things moving smoothly.
—Siddhant Adlakha, Variety, 10 Mar. 2025
Whether or not the owner can outsmart her snack-savvy puppy remains to be shared on their profile.
—Gordon G. Chang, Newsweek, 3 Mar. 2025
But in this sweaty, smoky shootout, filmed in 100-degree Louisiana weather, Terry outsmarts rather than outmuscles, and outmaneuvers rather than outshoots.
—Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 27 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for outsmart
Recent Examples of Synonyms for outsmart
Verb
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Australian Survivor involves outwitting, outplaying, and outlasting all of the other contestants through mental and physical challenges that take place on remote islands.—
Katie Decker-Jacoby,
StyleCaster,
12 Mar. 2025
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By the end, Dylan had outwitted, outplayed, and outlasted the most seasoned gamers, emerging victorious as a Faithful alongside Gabby Windey, Dolores Catania, and Lord Ivar Mountbatten.—
Louis Peitzman,
Vulture,
7 Mar. 2025
Verb
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The Trump administration launched three investigations in California in a single day amid claims that the Golden State is trying to thwart President Donald Trump's policies.—
Ron Estes,
MSNBC Newsweek,
28 Mar. 2025
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Robinson said Union County Pride is no stranger to pushback and efforts by conservative commissions to thwart LGBTQ+ events won’t work now.—
Nora O’Neill,
Charlotte Observer,
28 Mar. 2025
Verb
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There is evidence of motivated malicious actors abusing the 'verified account' to deceive users.—
Jon Brodkin,
ArsTechnica,
4 Apr. 2025
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More than a dozen state attorneys general also have sued TikTok, alleging last year that the company deceived users about its child safety tools and deployed harmful features to keep children on the platform longer to maximize profits.—
Bloomberg,
Mercury News,
4 Apr. 2025
Verb
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Out of Spokane Regional 1, No. 1 overall seed UCLA advances to their first Final Four in program history in the modern era after defeating No. 3 LSU, 72-65.—
Allison Smith,
Forbes.com,
31 Mar. 2025
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Orange County officials pitched a sales tax increase to voters that was soundly defeated in 2022.—
Skyler Swisher,
The Orlando Sentinel,
30 Mar. 2025
Verb
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Recognizing these challenges is the first step toward overcoming them.—
Caroline Castrillon,
Forbes.com,
30 Mar. 2025
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Both Banchero and Wagner, who started alongside Cory Joseph, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and Wendell Carter Jr., were able to overcome the defensive attention from the Kings and attack the basket with ease.—
Jason Beede,
The Orlando Sentinel,
30 Mar. 2025
Verb
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Japan, outfoxed by the stealthy maneuverer in the White House, had to recede.—
Robert W. Merry,
Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government,
7 Mar. 2025
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The governor’s better posture would be to concentrate on outmaneuvering and outfoxing Trump.—
David Greising,
Chicago Tribune,
31 Jan. 2025
Verb
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Don't let anyone fool you into abandoning the single most effective social program in our nation's history.—
John T. Harvey,
Forbes.com,
27 Mar. 2025
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Best deals of Amazon’s Big Spring Sale Dyson V8 Cordless Vacuum Cleaner Don’t be fooled by this vacuum cleaner’s lightweight design.—
BestReviews,
Chicago Tribune,
25 Mar. 2025
Verb
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Perhaps the shape rotators are convinced that computers can outthink us because their own minds are so impoverished.—
Becca Rothfeld,
Washington Post,
26 June 2024
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In a blog post, Google CEO Sundar Pichai predicted the technology underlying Gemini Advanced will be able to outthink even the smartest people when tackling many complex topics.—
Michael Liedtke,
Fortune,
9 Feb. 2024
Cite this Entry
“Outsmart.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/outsmart. Accessed 10 Apr. 2025.
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