1
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
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of sidestep
When asked about what is the most difficult part of outfitting a customer with an adaptive bike, Hal Honeyman sidestepped the entire mechanical issue and immediately cited funding instead.
—
David Sharos, Chicago Tribune, 28 Apr. 2026
Kennedy largely sidestepped the questions.
—Will Stone, NPR, 28 Apr. 2026
In rejecting the case, the high court again sidesteps a simmering battle that pits the right of parents to direct their child's care against policies enacted in recent years that aim to protect students' privacy and prevent public schools from outing transgender students to their families.
—Melissa Quinn, CBS News, 27 Apr. 2026
Behr’s French Beige Beige homes often get a ho-hum reputation, but cloaked in Behr’s French Beige, your exterior sidesteps those stereotypes entirely, our experts say.
—Marisa Suzanne Martin, The Spruce, 26 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for sidestep
David Sharos, Chicago Tribune, 28 Apr. 2026
Kennedy largely sidestepped the questions.
—Will Stone, NPR, 28 Apr. 2026
In rejecting the case, the high court again sidesteps a simmering battle that pits the right of parents to direct their child's care against policies enacted in recent years that aim to protect students' privacy and prevent public schools from outing transgender students to their families.
—Melissa Quinn, CBS News, 27 Apr. 2026
Behr’s French Beige Beige homes often get a ho-hum reputation, but cloaked in Behr’s French Beige, your exterior sidesteps those stereotypes entirely, our experts say.
—Marisa Suzanne Martin, The Spruce, 26 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for sidestep
Recent Examples of Synonyms for sidestep
Verb
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But the latest administrative checks, amid intensifying scrutiny, come after Italian media revealed internal emails that were framed as evidence that the Biennale organizers had circumvented sanctions against Russia to facilitate Russia’s participation.—
Devorah Lauter,
ARTnews.com,
30 Apr. 2026
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Search and rescue team members circumvented the gate by riding a dirt bike and were able to locate the injured man, officials said.—
Sam Gillette,
PEOPLE,
30 Apr. 2026
Verb
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With a gallery space split between a dance studio and a film editing room, the exhibition weaves elements of choreography, documentary, oral history and ritual.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
1 May 2026
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Sports fans, theater lovers, and nightlife seekers can weave effortlessly through Daikin Park, Alley Theatre, and the Houston Symphony, with local bars like Angel Share offering creative cocktails and a friendly vibe.—
Carrie Honaker,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
1 May 2026
Verb
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Wrobleski is scheduled to start Sunday, as the Dodgers try to avoid a three-game sweep.—
Maddie Lee,
Los Angeles Times,
3 May 2026
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Instead, remove selective branches from the center of the plant to ensure good airflow and avoid mildew.—
Nan Sterman,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
2 May 2026
Verb
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The audio journalism winner was the staff of the podcast Pablo Torre Finds Out, which investigated how the Los Angeles Clippers basketball organization seemingly ducked the NBA salary cap rule by paying its star forward, Kawhi Leonard, extra money via an endorsement deal.—
Neda Ulaby,
NPR,
4 May 2026
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At one point, Griffin appears to lunge at Manetta, who evades him by ducking behind a column on the platform.—
Colin Mixson,
New York Daily News,
1 May 2026
Verb
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While testing the model, Anthropic discovered decades-old software flaws and bugs that had evaded millions of previous attempts.—
Jeffrey Sonnenfeld,
Fortune,
2 May 2026
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But Inoue used his quick footwork to evade them, landing some jabs back in the process.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
2 May 2026
Verb
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Dodge, duck, dip, dive and dodge Edge rusher Anthony Smith led the Big Ten with 12 1/2 sacks last season.—
Andy Greder,
Twin Cities,
30 Apr. 2026
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During her Senate hearing, Means dodged some questions about those stances.—
Brennan Leach,
NBC news,
30 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Police said the driver of the black Ford Fusion was headed south on northwest 12th Avenue at a high rate of speed near northwest 188th Street when the driver tried to bypass slow-moving traffic by driving on the swale.—
Steven Yablonski,
CBS News,
28 Apr. 2026
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Under former President Jacob Zuma’s administration, a 9,600 MW plan tied to Russia’s Rosatom was struck down by the courts for bypassing parliamentary oversight.—
Tiisetso Motsoeneng,
semafor.com,
27 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Sidestep.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sidestep. Accessed 5 May. 2026.
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