to outsmart

Examples

• All

• Thought you could outsmart me, didn't you, huh?

  Jingle All the Way (1996)

• And you have to outsmart a pitcher and a guy who's ready to catch the ball.

  The Diary Of A CEO

• You have the ability to outsmart your own mind.

• Honey, when you live in the country as long as I have, you learn to outsmart the other guy.

  Revenge (1986)

• We're always going to try to find a smart way to outsmart these predators.

  Theo Von

• I was ready to leave, then I thought, screw it, I'll outsmart them and do the work anyway.

  Fiction book (1993)

• The little dogs thought they outsmarted the big dog.

  Big Time Movie (2012)

• So they tried to outsmart us, but we outsmarted them.

  Donnie Brasco (1997)

• A guy like you, you got to outsmart the hitter, know what I mean?

  Fiction book (2000)

• Sheldon, you can't outsmart me.

  Halloween Heroes (2021)

Synonyms

B

to beat

vsto outsmart

∞ 1.4

To defeat another person or team in a contest

specifies winning by being clever, not just by being better

O

to outshine

vsto outsmart

15 4.8

Do better and get more attention than others

focuses on cleverness to gain advantage rather than on outward impressiveness

O

to outmaneuver

vsto outsmart

• US

15 7.7

Gain an advantage over someone by using skill or clever plans

emphasizes cleverness in thought rather than only planning or moves

O

to outplay

vsto outsmart

14 4.2

Do better than and beat an opponent in a game

uses cleverness to gain advantage rather than simple better play alone

O

to outwit

vsto outsmart

11 4.7

To beat someone by being more clever than them

covers general clever advantage rather than specifically sharp cunning

O

to outmatch

vsto outsmart

8 6.4

Do better than someone in skill or performance

is about gaining advantage through cleverness or skill, not only better performance

O

to outclass

vsto outsmart

8 4.6

To be much better than someone or something

refers to clever advantage rather than broad superiority or class difference

O

to outthink

vsto outsmart

8 5.9

Think faster or smarter than someone to get an advantage

wins by cleverness generally rather than by faster thought alone

R

to run circles around

vsto outsmart

• Informal

6 4.6

To be much better than someone at doing something

means winning by cleverness and skill rather than by simple superiority

O

to outfox

vsto outsmart

5 6.7

To beat someone by being more clever

relies on cleverness broadly rather than on sly or deceitful methods

O

to outflank

vsto outsmart

4 7.0

To gain an advantage over someone by using clever or unexpected actions

focuses on cleverness in general, not only flank or tactical moves

B

to beat (someone) at (their) own game

vsto outsmart

• Informal

3 5.3

To defeat someone by using their own methods

focuses on clever advantage rather than using the opponent's methods specifically

O

to outgain

vsto outsmart

2 6.7

To gain more than someone else, especially in a competition

is about gaining advantage by clever skill rather than by quantity alone

G

to get one up on

vsto outsmart

• Informal

1 6.1

To have an advantage over someone in competition

implies advantage gained through cleverness rather than just a minor lead

O

to overreach

vsto outsmart

1 7.9

To trick someone to gain an unfair advantage

is about clever advantage without the sense of overreaching or excess

O

to outslick

vsto outsmart

• US

1 8.9

To be more clever than someone to win in a competition or argument

is about outdoing others through clever skill, not smooth style alone

O

to outvie

vsto outsmart

• Archaic

9.9

To try to be better than someone in a contest or task

emphasizes using cleverness to gain advantage rather than mere ambition

O

to outstand

vsto outsmart

7.6

To be better than others in skill or quality

highlights winning by cleverness and skill rather than general superiority

How Clever

to outsmart

54 4.1

to outwit

11 4.7

to outfox

5 6.7

to outmaneuver

• US

15 7.7

Surface Forms

Morphology

Etymology