Synonyms

outwit

American

[out-wit] / ˌaʊtˈwɪt /

verb (used with object)

outwitted, outwitting

to get the better of by superior ingenuity or cleverness; outsmart.

to outwit a dangerous opponent.

Synonyms:

finesse, outthink, outmaneuver, outfox, outguess
Archaic. to surpass in wisdom or knowledge.

outwit British

/ ˌaʊtˈwɪt /

verb

to get the better of by cunning or ingenuity
archaic to be of greater intelligence than

"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

Etymology

Origin of outwit

First recorded in 1645–55; out- + wit ¹

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.

At the Candidates, one opponent tried to lead Sindarov away from the common lines that grandmasters tend to study, hoping that he could outwit the 20-year-old in a battle of instinct and intellect, not memorization.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 6, 2026

Liz is a compelling creation, at once smart, sassy and wily, and there is fun to be had watching her slickly outwit credulous individuals.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 21, 2025

But they are increasingly facing a crafty adversary: bacteria that mutate and adapt and outwit the very drugs designed to defeat them and cure the infections they cause.

From BBC • Dec. 4, 2024

Armed with their new knowledge, the team hopes to outwit bacteria by cutting off multiple pathways.

From Science Daily • Nov. 28, 2024

He was going to have to outwit Ky Ebright—no small challenge.

From "The Boys in the Boat: Nine Americans and Their Epic Quest for Gold at the 1936 Berlin Olympics" by Daniel James Brown

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