To outmaneuver means to use clever strategy or quick thinking to gain an advantage over an opponent. When you outmaneuver someone, you outsmart them by moving or planning better than they do.

You see this word used beyond battlefields. In chess, you outmaneuver your opponent by setting traps they don't see coming. In basketball, a player might outmaneuver a defender with a quick fake and a change of direction. In a class debate, you could outmaneuver your opponent by anticipating their arguments and preparing stronger counterpoints.

The word suggests winning through intelligence and planning rather than raw force. A fox outmaneuvers hunting dogs by doubling back on its trail. A student working on a group project might outmaneuver a bossy teammate by calmly building support from other group members first. When you outmaneuver someone, you've thought several steps ahead, like a chess player who sees the whole board while their opponent only sees the next move.