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.
This archetype of the evil, power-craving advisor who outmaneuvers their boss manifests in Shakespeare's searing portrait of Iago, the villainous lieutenant to Othello who leads him to doom. Justin Gest, Newsweek, 11 Feb. 2025 Rachel Weisz and Emma Stone are delicious as the two ruthless favorites of the monarch, who try to outmaneuver each other at all costs. Radhika Seth, Vogue, 9 Feb. 2025 The governor’s better posture would be to concentrate on outmaneuvering and outfoxing Trump. David Greising, Chicago Tribune, 31 Jan. 2025 Iger and the company managed to outmaneuver the main challenge led by Nelson Peltz, though many of the complaints by Peltz about film studio dysfunction and excess costs were addressed by Iger over the course of the proxy fight. Dade Hayes, Deadline, 23 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 10 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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