Outmaneuver
v.capable, thoughtfulprofessional
What it means
To gain an advantage through more skillful planning.
Reach for it when describing an advantage gained through more skillful positioning or planning
The small firm used careful timing to outmaneuver its larger rival.
Choose between these
6- playful
wrong-foot
an unexpected move leaves the opponent poorly positioned
not when Wrong-foot has an informal hint of trickery.
- everyday
gain the upper hand over
the resulting advantage matters more than method
not when An upper hand can come from power rather than skill.
- everyday
better thinking defeats the opposing plan
not when Outsmart emphasizes intellect rather than position.
- professional
outflank
advantage comes from moving around a side or defense
not when Outflank has military overtones and a narrower mechanism.
- formal
circumvent
a barrier is bypassed
not when Circumvention need not defeat an active opponent.
- literary
steal a march on
early action creates advantage
not when The idiom is old-fashioned and time-specific.
Said against
3- be outmaneuvered by
- miscalculate
- lose position to
It naturally appears in
3- outmaneuver a rival
The small firm used timing to outmaneuver a larger rival.
- politically outmaneuver
She refused to politically outmaneuver partners who trusted her.
- attempt to outmaneuver
Both teams will attempt to outmaneuver the high press.
Where this comes from
Outmaneuver frames interaction as contest and can imply manipulation; coordinate or negotiate may better fit a shared problem.
- wiktionary, English verb, gain an advantage by superior maneuvering sense opens in a new tab · retrieved 2026-07-27
The definition and the example on this page are written here. The dictionaries above ground which meaning is being described, not the wording.