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to outthink

to outthink

8 5.9
Think faster or smarter than someone to get an advantage
  • verb
  • /aʊtˈθɪŋk/
translation icon : superar en ingenio
  • To win the chess match, she needed to outthink her opponent by anticipating his next move.
  • outthink your opponent
  • try to outthink

There is this notion that if we produce a machine that can think, it will outthink us and therefore replace us.

Examples

Synonyms

to outsmart
vsto outthink
54 4.1

To get an advantage over someone by being clever

thinks more quickly to gain advantage rather than just showing skill
to outmaneuver
vsto outthink
  • US
15 7.7

Gain an advantage over someone by using skill or clever plans

depends on quicker thought rather than longer planned actions
to outwit
vsto outthink
11 4.7

To beat someone by being more clever than them

relies on faster thinking rather than deliberate trickery
to outfox
vsto outthink
5 6.7

To beat someone by being more clever

uses faster thinking rather than elaborate tricks to get ahead
to outflank
vsto outthink
4 7.0

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

relies on faster, direct thinking instead of indirect tactical moves
to outslick
vsto outthink
  • US
1 8.9

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

focuses on quick thinking to gain advantage, not only cunning

How Clever

to outsmart
54 4.1
to outthink
8 5.9
to reason
121 3.3
to think
1.0

Surface Forms

outthink infinitive
outthinking present participle
outthinks third person singular
outthought past
outthought past participle

Morphology

outthink = think (transparent) = out + think

The productive prefix 'out-' meaning 'to surpass' combines with the verb 'think' to yield the straightforward sense 'think more effectively than'.

Etymology

The word outthink puts out- ('more than') before think, just like in outsmart or outdo. So it means to 'think more cleverly than' someone to gain an advantage.