How to Say "to outwit" in Spanish
The Spanish word for “to outwit” is “burlar” — B1 level.
Examples
El ladrón logró burlar la seguridad del museo.
The thief managed to evade the museum's security.
Intentó burlar el control de velocidad en la carretera.
He tried to bypass the speed control on the highway.
Burlar el destino no es tan fácil como parece.
Outwitting destiny is not as easy as it seems.
Using Burlar with Objects
When you use this word to mean 'evade' or 'dodge,' you usually follow it directly with the thing or person you are avoiding (e.g., 'burlar la seguridad').
Action vs. State
This word describes the action of successfully getting past something, not just the intention of trying.
Confusing with Evitar
Mistake: “Usé el puente para burlar el tráfico.”
Correction: Usé el puente para evitar el tráfico. Use 'evitar' for simply avoiding something; use 'burlar' when you are cleverly outsmarting a system or barrier.
Related Translations
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