outthink

O1U1T1T1H4I1N1K5

verb

To best an opponent by thinking.

“Kasparov might be the world best chess-player, but Deep Blue clearly outthought him in this match.”

Scrabble 15

Meanings

verboutthink (third-person singular simple present outthinks, present participle outthinking, simple past and past participle outthought)

present singular third person outthinks · participle present outthinking · participle past outthought · past outthought

  1. transitiveTo best an opponent by thinking.

    Kasparov might be the world best chess-player, but Deep Blue clearly outthought him in this match.

    4 more examples

    Microsoft has carefully cultivated an image of being an outfit that outthinks and outinnovates rivals.

    2004 October 15, Charles Cooper, “Microsoft: The reality behind the image”, in CNET

    Its “Dell model” became synonymous with efficiency, outsourcing and tight inventories, and was taught at the Harvard Business School and other top-notch management schools as a paragon of business smarts and outthinking the competition.

    2010 June 28, Ashlee Vance, “Suit Over Faulty Computers Highlights Dell’s Decline”, in The New York Times

    Argentina outfought and outthought France on a traumatic opening night for the host, winning more completely than the 17-12 scoreline suggested.

    2010 November 19, Huw Richards, “France Confronts Its Rugby Fears With Argentina”, in The New York Times

    It is an example of what real entrepreneurship can do on the railway, but sadly there are not many other examples. Most of the private sector businesses in rail are simply 'gaming' the system, trying to outdo or outthink the regulator and the Government in order to generate profit.

    2023 January 25, Christian Wolmar, “An informative cab ride on the state of the railway”, in RAIL, number 975, page 34

Synonyms & antonyms

Also see

Origin

  1. Proto-Indo-European*úd
  2. Proto-Germanic*ūt
  3. Proto-Germanic*ūt-
  4. Old Englishūt-
  5. Middle Englishut-
  6. Englishout-
  7. Proto-Indo-European*teng-
  8. Proto-Germanic*þankijaną
  9. Proto-West Germanic*þankijan
  10. Old Englishþenċan
  11. Middle Englishthinken
  12. Englishthink
  13. Englishoutthink

From out- + think.

Full word history & related roots →
Cite this entry
APA

outthink. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/outthink

MLA

“outthink.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/outthink. Accessed November 3, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “outthink,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/outthink.

Source: outthink on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.