outsmart

/aʊtˈsmɑː(ɹ)t/

//aʊtˈsmɑː(ɹ)t// verb

By · According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA) ·

"outsmart" is a 8-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“outsmart” has 12 generated spelling variants in the English index at frequency #43,297. The variants make it a useful spelling check.

#43,297
frequency rank, English
1,431
“O” headwords
12
tracked misspellings

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed September 3, 2026) - To beat in a competition of wits.

Corpus desk

Index EN-outsmart · outsmart · English

outsmart · rank #43,297 · 12 variants · 0 confusables

  • FREQ-MID #43,297
  • LEN-LONG 8 letters
  • VOW-3 3 vowels
  • CONFUS-0 No pairs
  • VAR-MID 12 variants
  • BOOK-MID 1,431
  • PHOTO-FINISH outgrow

Nearest frequency peer: outgrow (-1 rank slots)

Read with this headword: Spelling guide for this pattern

Desk codes from Wiktionary headword shape, FrequencyWords rank tier, confusable-pair count, generated misspelling depth, letter-cohort book size, and photo-finish peer. Not a difficulty grade.

Rank peers near misspelling magnet “outsmart”

Same rarity band: useful when a typo lands on a peer headword

corpus weight

What this shows “outsmart” sits among these FrequencyWords peers; misspelling depth is tracked separately in the edit-distance chart.

Source FrequencyWords open word-frequency list As of September 3, 2026
Key facts for outsmart
PropertyValue
Headwordoutsmart
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechVerb
IPA/aʊtˈsmɑː(ɹ)t/
Letters8
Frequency rank#43,297
Misspellings tracked12
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Frequency seat of misspelling magnet “outsmart”

Every-word frequency runs from the handful of words we use constantly (left) to the long tail used once in a blue moon (right).outsmartlands here:

#1#100#1K#10K#100K
← used constantlyrarely used →

Ticks step logarithmically, so each one marks a roughly tenfold drop in how often the word turns up. Same rarity band neighbours include “outgrow” (#43,296), “overcooked” (#43,298), “ordinal” (#43,294). Among 1,431 “O” headwords, “outsmart” is #43,297. Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

A misspelling magnet

The generator records 12 spelling variants around outsmart (IPA /aʊtˈsmɑː(ɹ)t/), averb. Corpus frequency is #43,297 among 1,431 “O” headwords. Dominant gloss: "To beat in a competition of wits.".

Our generated misspelling index lists 12 likely wrong-spelling variants for outsmart, with forms such as "otusmart", "oustmart", and "outmsart". Each variant is a distinct typo pattern an edit-distance generator flags, typically a doubled-consonant error, a silent-letter drop, or a vowel substitution. Our dataset records no confusable match here, since no other headword is close enough in sound or shape to pair with it.

Etymologically, the entry records: From out- + smart. The correct English form is outsmart, spelled O-U-T-S-M-A-R-T.

Definition

  1. 1
    To beat in a competition of wits.

Recorded use

Wiktionary example

These source excerpts show how outsmart appears in context. They illustrate usage; the definition above remains the entry’s reference meaning.

  1. Maldonado, who is in only his second season in Formula 1, won the Spanish Grand Prix after his team outsmarted Ferrari with pit-stop timing.

Etymology

From out- + smart.

Synonyms

outfoxoutguessoutwit

This word in other languages

burlar(Español)überlisten(Deutsch)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as:

  • otusmart
  • oustmart
  • outmsart
  • outsamrt
  • outsmarrt
  • outsmartt
  • outsmatr
  • outsmmart
  • outsmrat
  • outssmart
  • outtsmart
  • uotsmart

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of outsmart - counted as single-character edits (an insertion, a deletion, or a substituted letter). The larger the bar, the easier the typo is to spot; one-edit slips are the ones that sneak past readers.

otusmart2oustmart2outmsart2outsamrt2outsmarrt1outsmartt1outsmatr2outsmmart1
Edit distance from "outsmart"

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA); frequency ordering uses the FrequencyWords open word-frequency list (2018 English corpus, MIT). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "outsmart"?
"outsmart" is spelled O-U-T-S-M-A-R-T. The IPA pronunciation is /aʊtˈsmɑː(ɹ)t/.
What does "outsmart" mean?
As a verb, "outsmart" means: To beat in a competition of wits.
What are common misspellings of "outsmart"?
Common misspellings include "otusmart", "oustmart", "outmsart", "outsamrt", "outsmarrt". The correct spelling is "outsmart".
How do you pronounce "outsmart"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "outsmart" is /aʊtˈsmɑː(ɹ)t/. 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 "outsmart"?
From out- + smart. 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.

Similar English words by spelling shape

Same letter count and similar misspelling depth for "outsmart", not the corpus desk frequency band.

Same letter count

Frequency-ranked English headwords with 8 letters (nearest by frequency rank).

plaguing#43,313plantain#43,314motility#43,268mongoose#43,266

Similar misspelling depth

Headwords with a similar count of attested misspellings (12 here; floor ≥5).

oceanside12 variantspessimist12 variantsMagdalen12 variantshouseboat12 variants

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

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list