outwit

Outwit is a transitive verb meaning to defeat someone by using cleverness, ingenuity, or quick thinking rather than force. It emphasizes mental agility: anticipating a rival's moves, exploiting weaknesses in their plan, and responding with a superior strategy.

The word combines the prefix out- with wit, from Old English wit meaning knowledge or understanding. It dates from the early modern period and has forms including outwitted (past), outwitting (present participle), and outwits (third person singular).

In practice, to outwit someone is to prevail in a contest of wits—games, puzzles, debates, negotiations, or competitive situations. The term is generally neutral, but it can imply cunning or deception when the method relies on misdirection or exploiting information the other party did not expect.

See also: outsmart, outmaneuver, foil, trickery, wit.