SYNONYMS AND RELATED EXPRESSIONS
outwit
verb
To defeat or gain an advantage over someone through greater cleverness.
Local English device voice, when available. This is not a recorded dictionary pronunciation.
Gain advantage by cleverness
Closest synonyms
Related words and expressions
These extend or explain the idea and may require a different sentence structure.
Usage distinction
Return to topOutwit stresses cleverness; trick can imply deception without a contest of intelligence.
CHECK THE MEANING IN CONTEXT
See outwit in use
In the story, a resourceful traveler manages to outwit the dishonest guide.
The intruder returns to supplicate the tenant for a chance to attend the next rehearsal, pleading humbly and earnestly instead of asserting a right to enter. The tenant manages to outwit him by offering an invitation only to the entirely ordinary cleaning session he had claimed to be eager to help with.
Compare an alternative with the original word in each passage. Shared meanings do not make every pair interchangeable.
Synonym reference scope and sources
The groups distinguish the senses selected for this study entry. Closest synonyms and broader related expressions have separate labels. The listed sources support lexical selection; not every phrase is a direct quotation from a source.
How the synonym reference was prepared / WordNet 3.0 license