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.

But Novo Nordisk then took the unusual step of trying to outflank Pfizer, setting off a bidding war.

From The Wall Street Journal • Nov. 8, 2025

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 • Jul. 30, 2025

I watched red leaf monkeys and macaques scampering to outflank one another in the canopy.

From National Geographic • Jan. 23, 2024

The improved economic outlook has helped Maduro consolidate domestic support, outflank his opponents and reverse his political fortunes.

From Los Angeles Times • Nov. 14, 2022

Why had it not been possible to outflank them in some way?

From "1984" by George Orwell

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