to outflank
4
7.0
- verb
- /aʊtˈflæŋk/
:
flanquear
- I guess they'll try to outflank us now, huh?
Examples
-
Their ability to muster extra troops meant that they sometimes outflanked her mother with their sheer numerical strength.
Fiction book (1997) -
Looks like they're trying to outflank us.
-
We can still outflank them.
-
- We can outflank them.
-
lt must have been possible to outflank them in some way.
-
Whoever is going to run in 2016 will have to start now, or they could be outflanked easily.
Blog text (27) -
But the next day the French found a way to outflank Wellington's position, and his retreat continued.
-
Sarah suddenly finds herself outflanked by Terrell and Acer.
Fiction book (1997) -
Thus, Alfonsin often found himself outflanked on the left by human rights organizations and the progressive wing of the Peronist Party.
Academic text (2000) -
The strategist devised a plan to outflank the enemy and secure an advantage in the battle.
Synonyms
78
4.8
Beat someone by doing something better
54
4.1
To get an advantage over someone by being clever
23
4.2
To defeat someone in a contest or game
22
3.8
Be better than someone at something
15
7.7
Gain an advantage over someone by using skill or clever plans
14
4.2
Do better than and beat an opponent in a game
11
4.7
To beat someone by being more clever than them
8
5.9
Think faster or smarter than someone to get an advantage
5
6.7
To beat someone by being more clever
5
8.1
To trick someone to gain an advantage
2
6.1
To do better than someone or something and win
2
6.7
To gain more than someone else, especially in a competition
1
6.1
To have an advantage over someone in competition
1
8.9
To be more clever than someone to win in a competition or argument
1
7.7
Use clever or dishonest moves to get an advantage
1
7.5
To make an opponent give up by pretending you have more power
To get an advantage over someone by doing better than them
To try to be better than someone in a contest or task
How Advantageous
- US
15
7.7
4
7.0
∞
1.4
16
4.1
170
2.0
∞
1.0
Surface Forms
Morphology
Etymology
Outflank comes from two parts: out- meaning 'outside' or 'beyond' and flank meaning 'side'. In old war language it meant going around an enemy's side, so today to outflank someone is to get an advantage over them by a clever or indirect move.