Outplay
v.capable, energeticprofessional
What it means
To perform more skillfully in a game or contest.
Reach for it when describing a player or team that performs more skillfully in a game
The home side began to outplay the champions after halftime.
Choose between these
6- playful
run rings around
obvious skill superiority suits lively commentary
not when The idiom is mocking and informal.
- everyday
beat
the final result is all that matters
not when A team can win without outplaying its opponent.
- warm
one performance attracts deserved admiration
not when Attracting attention does not prove control of play.
- professional
dominate
control of play is sustained
not when Dominance does not always produce victory.
- professional
the gap in skill is broad and decisive
not when Outclass is stronger and can demean.
- formal
one contestant proves better on the occasion
not when Best as a verb is less common and gives no mechanism.
Said against
3- be outplayed by
- lose to
- trail
It naturally appears in
3- outplay the champions
The home side began to outplay the champions after halftime.
- completely outplay
No team managed to completely outplay the disciplined defense.
- outplay an opponent
Patience helped her outplay an opponent who attacked early.
Where this comes from
Outplay concerns quality of play, not necessarily the score; the two can diverge.
- wiktionary, English verb, play better than an opponent 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.