SIDESTEP Synonyms: 53 Similar and Opposite Words

sidestep

verb

ˈsīd-ˌstep

Definition of sidestep

as in to circumvent

to avoid having to comply with (something) especially through cleverness the eager enlistee sidestepped the regulations by lying about his age

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in to weave

to move suddenly aside or to and fro the startled spectator sidestepped away from the oncoming ball

Synonyms & Similar Words

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of sidestep The Space Development Agency was established in 2019 to help speed up the deployment of US military space systems by sidestepping the Pentagon’s traditional sluggish bureaucracy. — Stephen Clark, ArsTechnica, 17 July 2026 The partnership enables the technology giant to sidestep ownership rules that have stalled the expansion of Starlink into one of Africa’s most valuable telecom markets. — Tiisetso Motsoeneng, semafor.com, 17 July 2026 As for Reflect Orbital, the company’s Eärendil-1 has for now sidestepped the concerns of its critics and could launch later this year. — Mary Randolph, Scientific American, 16 July 2026 For decades Washington has oscillated between trying to solve the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and trying to sidestep it. — Thomas Wright, The Atlantic, 16 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for sidestep

Recent Examples of Synonyms for sidestep

Verb

Landlords found other ways to circumvent the law, such as pressuring residents into making side payments and stalling paperwork.

— Haley Parsley, Sacbee.com, 24 July 2026
The lawsuit, filed in January, originally claimed that unnamed whistleblowers had uncovered WhatsApp’s ability to circumvent the encryption.

— Michael Kan, PC Magazine, 24 July 2026

Definition of circumvent

Verb

And throughout their exchange, Paul weaved in his analysis of Fauci’s actions to frame the one-sided conversation his way.

— ABC News, ABC News, 29 July 2026
The podcast, which launched in 2025, focuses on a single sad track as a means for artists to weave personal narratives.

— Cathy Applefeld Olson, Forbes.com, 29 July 2026

Definition of weave

Verb

This basic primer avoids specific military tactics, instead offering general advice for non-military personnel.

— Zita Ballinger Fletcher, Forbes.com, 30 July 2026
Saudi Arabia is getting pulled further into the Middle East conflict, conducting joint strikes with the US against Iraq this week – despite the kingdom having spent months trying to avoid deeper involvement.

— Salma Arafa, CNN Money, 30 July 2026

Definition of avoid

Verb

To pretend otherwise, and to accuse everyone who points to these difficult trade-offs of bad faith, is to duck a confrontation with the deepest problems of politics and policy.

— Nikhil Krishnan, New Yorker, 20 July 2026
By contrast with physical products, policymakers now tend to duck difficult conversations about what to do with addictive services or experiences like gambling and video games.

— Jonathan Caulkins, The Conversation, 17 July 2026

Definition of duck

Verb

Others edited footage of themselves dodging police barricades to mimic the popular endless runner mobile game Subway Surfers.

— ABC News, ABC News, 25 July 2026
Tokyo did the same in the 1990s — dodging its banking crisis with zero rates, a weak yen, and endless bailouts, treating symptoms while the disease spread.

— William Pesek, Forbes.com, 23 July 2026

Definition of dodge

Verb

Verify the source of every installer and stop when the instructions ask you to bypass a warning.

— Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 21 July 2026
With bots already making up over half of internet traffic, businesses failing to update will be bypassed, losing customers who increasingly send software to interact online.

— Gene Marks, Forbes.com, 21 July 2026