| Main Entry: |
outwit/outsmart
|
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | get the better of; figure out before another |
| Synonyms: | baffle, bamboozle*, beat*, bewilder, cap, cheat, circumvent, con*, confuse, deceive, defeat, defraud, dupe, end-run, fake out, finagle, fox*, goose, gull, have*, hoax, hoodwink, lead astray, make a fool of, make a monkey of, mislead, outdo, outfox, outgeneral, outguess, outjockey, outmaneuver, outthink, overreach, pull a fast one on, put one over on, run circles around, swindle, take in*, top*, trick, worst* |
| Main Entry: | circumvent |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | fool, mislead |
| Synonyms: | avoid, beat, beguile, bilk, bypass, circumnavigate, cramp, crimp, deceive, detour, disappoint, dodge, dupe, elude, ensnare, entrap, escape, evade, foil, frustrate, get around, hoodwink, outflank, outwit, overreach, prevent, queer, ruin, shun, sidestep, skirt, stave off, steer clear of, stump, stymie, thwart, trick, ward off |
| Notes: | circumnavigate means to proceed completely around while circumvent means to avoid or try to avoid fulfilling, answering, or performing duties, questions, or issues |
| Antonyms: | aid, allow, assist, help, permit |
| Main Entry: | conquer |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | defeat, overcome |
| Synonyms: | beat, bring to knees, checkmate, circumvent, clobber, control, cream*, crush, discomfit, drub, foil, frustrate, get the better of, humble, lick, master, outwit, overmaster, overpower, override, overthrow, prevail, quell, reduce, rout, shut down, subdue, subjugate, succeed, surmount, throw, thwart, total*, trample underfoot, trash, triumph, vanquish, whip, wipe off map, worst, zap |
| Antonyms: | capitulate, fail, give up, lose, retreat, succumb, surrender, yield |
| Main Entry: | deceive |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | mislead; be dishonest |
| Synonyms: | bamboozle*, beat, beat out of, beguile, betray, bilk, buffalo, burn, cheat, circumvent, clip, con, cozen, cross up, defraud, delude, disappoint, double-cross, dupe, ensnare, entrap, fake, falsify, fleece, fool, gouge, gull, hoax, hoodwink, hook*, humbug, impose upon, lead on, outwit, play joke on, pull fast one, put on, rob, scam, screw, sell, skin, suck in, swindle, take advantage of, take for, take for ride, take in, take to cleaners, trick, victimize |
| Antonyms: | be honest |
| Main Entry: | defeat |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | frustrate |
| Synonyms: | baffle, balk, beat down, beat the system, blank, block, bury, cast down, cause setback, checkmate, circumvent, confound, contravene, cook*, counterplot, cross, disappoint, discomfit, disconcert, disprove, edge out, foil, invalidate, neutralize, nonplus, nose out, nullify, outwit, overturn, put end to, puzzle, quell, reduce, refute, ruin, scuttle, shave, shellac, skunk, spoil, squash, stump, subdue, subjugate, surmount, take wind out of sails, throw for loop, thwart, undo, victimize |
| Notes: | decimate means to kill or destroy in large numbers; defeat means to win a victory over or to beat |
| Antonyms: | abet, aid, encourage, help, inspirit |
| Main Entry: | defraud |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | cheat, bilk |
| Synonyms: | bamboozle, beguile, burn, chouse, circumvent, clip, con, cozen, deceive, delude, do, do number on, do out of, dupe, embezzle, fleece, flimflam, foil, hoax, jive, milk, outwit, pilfer, pull fast one, rip off, rob, shaft*, shuck, stick*, sucker into, swindle, take in*, take to the cleaner's, take*, trick, victimize |
| Antonyms: | contribute, help, repay, support |
| Main Entry: | discomfit |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | defeat, frustrate; confuse |
| Synonyms: | abash, annoy, baffle, balk, beat, bother, checkmate, confound, demoralize, discompose, disconcert, discountenance, disturb, embarrass, faze, fluster, foil, irk, outwit, overcome, perplex, perturb, prevent, rattle, ruffle, take aback, thwart, trump, unsettle, upset, vex, worry, worst |
| Antonyms: | surrender, yield |
| Main Entry: | dupe |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | fool someone |
| Synonyms: | baffle, bamboozle*, beguile, betray, catch, cheat, chicane, circumvent, con, cozen, deceive, defraud, delude, double-cross, dust*, flimflam, gull, hoax, hoodwink*, hornswoggle, jerk around, kid, mislead, outwit, overreach, pull one's leg, pull something, rip off, rook, rope in, shaft, spoof, swindle, trick, victimize |
| Main Entry: | elude |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | avoid; escape |
| Synonyms: | baffle, be beyond someone, beat around the bush, bilk, circumvent, confound, cop out, ditch, dodge, double, duck, eschew, evade, flee, fly, foil, frustrate, get around, get away from, give the runaround, give the slip, give wide berth to, hem and haw, not touch, outrun, outwit, pass the buck, pass up, puzzle, run around, shirk, shuck, shun, shy, stall, stay shy of, steer clear of, stonewall, stump, thwart |
| Notes: | elude means to escape or evade from while allude means to make a more or less indirect reference to |
| Antonyms: | attract, confront, encounter, entice, face, invite, meet, take on |