Synonyms

outflank

American

[out-flangk] / ˌaʊtˈflæŋk /

verb (used with object)

to go or extend beyond the flank of (an opposing military unit); turn the flank of.
to outmaneuver or bypass.

outflank British

/ ˌaʊtˈflæŋk /

verb

to go around the flank of (an opposing army)
to get the better of

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

outflanker noun

Etymology

Origin of outflank

First recorded in 1755–65; out- + flank

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

France's quick hands outflanked England's onrushing defence on a number of occasions, exposing the hosts out wide.

From BBC

The US gains allies in its quest to outflank the Chinese in the field of AI and compute - the Gulf nations get a powerful partner in their search for a replacement for oil revenues.

From BBC

A source told the paper it was "already outflanking Labour" on both issues.

From BBC

By the autumn of 1914, fighting on the Western Front—Belgium and France—had shifted back to the north as the opposing armies maneuvered to outflank one another.

From Literature

Once Gamelin duly sent his best units north, they were outflanked and ensnared.

From Salon

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023