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# outsmart

verb (outsmart, outsmarts, outsmarted, outsmarting)

«outsmart» in the English dictionary: everyday — its meanings, how the lessons use it, and examples, each with its tree on Mova.

## Everyday

To outsmart someone is to beat them by being cleverer or trickier. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/O/outsmart/#m1)

### In the lessons

In stories and fairy tales clever small characters outsmart bigger ones: the Gruffalo's mouse, Brer Rabbit, the three little pigs. In everyday life and games you outsmart an opponent at chess. In safety lessons scammers try to outsmart people, so we learn their tricks. Phrases: «outsmart the fox», «be outsmarted by».

### Examples

- The little mouse outsmarted the fox in the deep dark wood. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/O/outsmart/#x1)
- She outsmarted me at chess with a clever move. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/O/outsmart/#x2)
- The squirrel outsmarted our bird feeder. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/O/outsmart/#x3)
- Scammers try to outsmart people, so never share your password. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/O/outsmart/#x4)
- The detective outsmarted the thief. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/O/outsmart/#x5)
- Brer Rabbit outsmarted Brer Fox again. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/O/outsmart/#x6)

### Note

Past form «outsmarted». Prefix «out-» means «do better than». Similar: «outwit», «outfox». Informal but fine in writing.

## On Mova

- [Trees and pragmatics of «outsmart» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/O/outsmart/): every meaning and example parsed by Mova, with its dependency tree and frames.
- [«outsmart» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/outsmart.html) on Mova free.