To outwit someone means to defeat them by being cleverer, thinking faster, or coming up with a better plan. When you outwit an opponent, you use your intelligence and creativity to stay one step ahead of them.

Picture a game of chess where you set a trap for your opponent. They think they're about to capture your queen, but you've actually planned three moves ahead. When they make their move, they suddenly realize you've outwitted them and lost the game. Or imagine you're playing hide-and-seek, and instead of just hiding in an obvious spot, you hide somewhere clever and unexpected, outsmarting the seeker.

When you outwit someone, you've outthought them. In stories, clever heroes often outwit stronger villains: Odysseus outwitted the Cyclops not through strength but through a clever trick involving his name and a sharpened log. The smallest pig in The Three Little Pigs outwitted the wolf by building a brick house and staying calm.

You can outwit a difficult problem by finding a creative solution, or outwit a tricky situation by thinking quickly. The word celebrates intelligence and quick thinking over brute force.