beat someone at their own game

verb

To successfully use someone's methods and strategies against them.

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Meanings

verbbeat someone at their own game (third-person singular simple present beats someone at their own game, present participle beating someone at their own game, simple past beat someone at their own game, past participle beaten someone at their own game or (colloquial) beat someone at their own game)

present singular third person beats someone at their own game · participle present beating someone at their own game · participle past beaten someone at their own game · alternative UK play someone at their own game

  1. figurativelyTo successfully use someone's methods and strategies against them.

Translations

Chinese Mandarin 以其人之道，還治其人之身 /以其人之道, 还治其人之身
  • 以其人之道，還治其人之身 /以其人之道to successfully use someone's methods and strategies against them
  • 还治其人之身 (yǐ qí rén zhī dào, huán zhì qí rén zhī shēn)to successfully use someone's methods and strategies against them
Finnish voittaa omassa pelissään
  • voittaa omassa pelissäänto successfully use someone's methods and strategies against them
French battre à son propre jeu
  • battre à son propre jeuto successfully use someone's methods and strategies against them
German jemanden mit seinen eigenen Waffen schlagen
  • jemanden mit seinen eigenen Waffen schlagento successfully use someone's methods and strategies against them
Polish bić własną bronią, pobić własną bronią
  • bić własną broniąto successfully use someone's methods and strategies against them
  • pobić własną broniąto successfully use someone's methods and strategies against them
Spanish vencerlo en su propio juego
  • vencerlo en su propio juegoto successfully use someone's methods and strategies against them
Cite this entry
APA

beat someone at their own game. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/beat%20someone%20at%20their%20own%20game

MLA

“beat someone at their own game.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/beat%20someone%20at%20their%20own%20game. Accessed November 5, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “beat someone at their own game,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/beat%20someone%20at%20their%20own%20game.

Source: beat someone at their own game on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.