outfox

/ˌaʊtˈfɒks/

//ˌaʊtˈfɒks// verb

"outfox" is a 6-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“outfox” is outside the top-ranked English vocabulary, used as a verb - the kind of word writers most often double-check.

Unranked
below top-frequency English
6
letters

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - To beat (someone) in a competition of wits with superior cleverness or cunning; to outsmart.

Key facts for outfox
PropertyValue
Headwordoutfox
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechVerb
IPA/ˌaʊtˈfɒks/
Letters6
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “outfox” sits in English frequency

outfox falls outside the top-100,000 ranked English words, the long-tail zone of technical, archaic, or low-frequency vocabulary, exactly where readers second-guess spellings most.

Beyond rank #100,000. Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Spelling & Dictionary Insight

The English entry for outfox is 6 letters long, classified as a verb, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /ˌaʊtˈfɒks/. It sits outside the most-frequent rank tiers, which is often why uncommon words generate more spelling variants per reader. The dominant gloss from Wiktionary reads: "To beat (someone) in a competition of wits with superior cleverness or cunning; to outsmart.".

The misspelling generator found no plausible variants for outfox, and the word's spelling is regular enough that our generator found nothing worth flagging. We don't track a confusable pairing for this entry, which tends to mean the word is visually distinctive enough to stand on its own.

Etymologically, the entry records: From out- + fox. The correct English form is outfox, spelled O-U-T-F-O-X.

Definition

  1. 1
    To beat (someone) in a competition of wits with superior cleverness or cunning; to outsmart.

Etymology

From out- + fox.

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "outfox"?
"outfox" is spelled O-U-T-F-O-X. The IPA pronunciation is /ˌaʊtˈfɒks/.
What does "outfox" mean?
As a verb, "outfox" means: To beat (someone) in a competition of wits with superior cleverness or cunning; to outsmart.
How do you pronounce "outfox"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "outfox" is /ˌaʊtˈfɒks/. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What is the origin of the word "outfox"?
From out- + fox. See the full etymology section above for more details.
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Using “outfox”

The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.

  • The one correct English spelling is O-U-T-F-O-X - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /ˌaʊtˈfɒks/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Browse more English words and confusable pairs in the same reference. English words
Data Source

Wiktionary (via kaikki.org), licensed under CC BY-SA & GFDL. Word ordering uses an open word-frequency list; misspelling variants are generated by edit-distance from the correct headword.

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list FrequencyWords open word-frequency list