bypass

verb

bypassed; bypassing; bypasses

transitive verb

1

a

: to avoid by means of a bypass

bypass a congested area

b

: to cause to follow a bypass

2

a

: to neglect or ignore usually intentionally

b

: circumvent

attempting to bypass the law

Synonyms of bypass

• circumvent
• avoid

Examples of bypass in a Sentence

To bypass the city, take the highway that circles it.

Is there a way to bypass the bridge construction?

He bypassed the manager and talked directly to the owner.

She managed to bypass the usual paperwork.

Recent Examples on the Web

Utah’s challenge joins a growing wave of lawsuits and state actions from Pennsylvania to Arizona, alleging DHS bypassed environmental review, strained local infrastructure and clashed with community values. —Ryan J. Foley, Los Angeles Times, 9 June 2026

The parliamentary procedure bypasses the committee process and forces legislation directly to a floor vote if 218 lawmakers sign on in support. —Lauren Green, The Washington Examiner, 9 June 2026

Artists now bypass traditional power brokers, building audiences through touring, algorithms, and direct fan channels. —John Kennedy, VIBE.com, 9 June 2026

In April, Anthropic opted against releasing its latest model, Mythos, expressing concern that the tool could be used to bypass cybersecurity protections across the internet. —Max Zahn, ABC News, 9 June 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1736, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Phrases Containing bypass

• coronary artery bypass
• coronary artery bypass graft
• coronary artery bypass grafting
• coronary bypass
• coronary bypass graft
• coronary bypass grafting
• gastric bypass

Rhymes for bypass

• alas
• amass
• bromegrass
• crabgrass
• crevasse
• eelgrass
• eyeglass
• groundmass
• harass
• impasse
• jackass
• landmass

Kids Definition

bypass

1 of 2 noun

by·​pass ˈbī-ˌpas 

: a passage to one side or around a blocked or very crowded area

bypass

2 of 2 verb

: to make a detour around

bypass a city

Medical Definition

bypass

noun

by·​pass ˈbī-ˌpas 

: a surgically established shunt

cardiopulmonary bypass of blood from the right atrium to the aorta

also : a surgical procedure for the establishment of a shunt

Note: When a bypass is performed on more than one coronary artery or branch, the number of times (double, triple, etc.) is often specified.

I was immediately scheduled for a triple bypass, but they decided to try an angioplasty.

—Terry Todd, Sports Illustrated

see coronary artery bypass, gastric bypass, jejunoileal bypass

bypass transitive verb