outmaneuver

verb

out·​ma·​neu·​ver ˌau̇t-mə-ˈn(y)ü-vər How to pronounce outmaneuver (audio)
outmaneuvered; outmaneuvering

transitive verb

: to outdo, defeat, or gain an advantage over by skillful or clever maneuvering : to maneuver more effectively than
Battalions are especially important in desert warfare because they are powerful enough to deliver devastating blows … but small enough to sneak along ridges and valleys to outmaneuver larger forces.Bob Davis
… an amorally ambitious studio exec who disposes of a threatening screenwriter as coolly as he outmaneuvers a rival executive.Gregg Kilday
Sabre pilots learned that if they could force their adversaries to change direction rapidly, the Sabre could outmaneuver them.Fred Reed

Examples of outmaneuver in a Sentence

outmaneuvered his congressional opponent by co-opting his call for change in Washington
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
But even though Beijing has such tools at its disposal, its ability to outmaneuver Washington in a tit-for-tat exchange is limited by the United States’ relative power and large trade deficit with China. Yun Sun, Foreign Affairs, 6 Feb. 2025 According to military site Task & Purpose, Stewart shot down two of those attackers and outmaneuvered a third plane, which got behind him, but crashed while trying to match his navigation skills during a dive maneuver. Brian Niemietz, New York Daily News, 4 Feb. 2025 The core concern is that artificial general intelligence, or AGI—a system that surpasses humans in most regards—could potentially outmaneuver any constraints designed to control it, perhaps permanently disempowering humanity. Harry Booth / Paris, TIME, 6 Feb. 2025 Democrats complained that Trump and GOP allies outmaneuvered them on an emotional national issue that will provide the new president with a high-profile bill signing. Alexis Simendinger, The Hill, 21 Jan. 2025 See All Example Sentences for outmaneuver

Word History

First Known Use

1796, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of outmaneuver was in 1796

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Cite this Entry

“Outmaneuver.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/outmaneuver. Accessed 1 Mar. 2025.

Kids Definition

outmaneuver

verb
out·​ma·​neu·​ver
ˌau̇t-mə-ˈn(y)ü-vər
: to be more skillful or successful than in maneuvering

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