outwitted
Beat by cunning
Outwitted is the past tense of outwit, meaning to defeat someone through cleverness or cunning rather than force.
The word implies a contest of minds where superior strategy prevails: She outwitted the detective by planting false evidence.
To be outwitted often carries a note of humiliation—you weren't just beaten, you were outsmarted.
Misled by cunning
- bamboozledThoroughly deceived or confused
- deceivedMisled into false belief
- dupedDeceived into believing
- hoodwinkedTricked into believing falsely
conned · fooled · misled · outsmarted · suckered · beguiled · bluffed · outfoxed
Defeated by cleverness
- shrewdPractically clever, perceptive
- cunningSly, scheming cleverness
- craftyCleverly deceptive
- wilySkilled at deception
sly · clever · sharp · astute · canny · ingenious · savvy · resourceful
Defeated through superior tactics
- outplayedDefeated through better play
- outthoughtDefeated through cleverness
- tacticalStrategically planned
- gambitRisky opening for advantage
ploy · ruse · stratagem · feint · counterplot · masterstroke · scheming · calculated
Overcame in a contest
- defeatedOvercome in contest
- vanquishedDefeated completely
- prevailedProved stronger ultimately
- overcameDefeated or mastered
outmatched · outclassed · one-upped · beat · conquered · thwarted · foiled · trumped
tricked
Misled by cunning
- bamboozledThoroughly deceived or confused
- deceivedMisled into false belief
- dupedDeceived into believing
hoodwinked · conned · fooled · misled · outsmarted · suckered · beguiled · bluffed · outfoxed · outmaneuvered
outsmarted
Defeated by cleverness
wily · sly · clever · sharp · astute · canny · ingenious · savvy · resourceful · scheming
outmaneuvered
Defeated through superior tactics
- outplayedDefeated through better play
- outthoughtDefeated through cleverness
- tacticalStrategically planned
gambit · ploy · ruse · stratagem · feint · counterplot · masterstroke · scheming · calculated · flanked
bested
Overcame in a contest
- defeatedOvercome in contest
- vanquishedDefeated completely
- prevailedProved stronger ultimately
overcame · outmatched · outclassed · one-upped · beat · conquered · thwarted · foiled · trumped · upstaged