circumvent

verb cir·cum·vent \ ˌsər-kᵊm-ˈvent \

Updated on: 14 May 2018

Definition of circumvent

transitive verb

1 : to manage to get around especially by ingenuity or stratagem

the setup circumvented the red tape
—Lynne McTaggart

circumvent a problem

2 a : to hem in

Circumvented by the enemy, he had to surrender.

b : to make a circuit around

the river circumvented

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circumvention

play \-ˈven(t)-shən\ noun

See circumvent defined for English-language learners

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circumvent was our Word of the Day on 02/05/2012. Hear the podcast!

Examples of circumvent in a Sentence

Los Angeles was the beachhead for the sushi invasion, attracting many Japanese chefs eager to make their fortunes and to circumvent the grueling 10-year apprenticeship required in their homeland. —Jay McInerney, New York Times Book Review, 10 June 2007
… Rondon and Lyra paddled to the right side, where they found a channel that circumvented the worst part of the rapids. —Candice Millard, The River of Doubt, 2005
His appreciation of this finer side of life is circumvented by a cynicism that he tells me is common to Eastern Europeans. —Lynne Tillman, Motion Sickness, 1991
The thirty-six-hour workweek established by the garment-industry code was circumvented by having the workers punch out at five P.M., leave by the back door (their usual entrance), then return by the front door and work until eleven P.M. without punching the clock. —Melissa Hield, Speaking For Ourselves, (1977) 1984
We circumvented the problem by using a different program.
He found a way to circumvent the law.

Recent Examples of circumvent from the Web

Walmart’s hopes of somehow circumventing rules to protect local shop-keepers, which have long prevented most foreign retailers from opening stores, have been repeatedly dashed.

— The Economist, "Walmart takes a second shot at the Indian market," 9 May 2018
That club is a colonial-era work-around to circumvent the society’s conservatism and is even now one of a handful of places in that huge city where one can order alcohol.

— rumaan alam, Bon Appetit, "A Story of a Young Romance, a Bowl of Bar Peanuts, and a Plastic Bottle of Whiskey," 2 May 2018
Monument advocates say partnerships are necessary to balance conservation and public interests without circumventing environmental regulations at the most popular picnic areas, hiking trails and campgrounds.

— louis sahagun, latimes.com, "Long-awaited plan for San Gabriel Mountains National Monument limits new mining and energy development," 20 Apr. 2018
Traffic tie-ups also are expected in the Northeast and far Northwest sides of town this weekend as drivers circumvent the closure of portions of Interstates 10 and 35 this weekend, according to Donat.

— jacob beltran, San Antonio Express-News, "San Antonio drivers face weekend of roadwork," 13 Apr. 2018
Those agreements could potentially circumvent the protections of US courts.

— russell brandom, The Verge, "House passes controversial legislation giving the US more access to overseas data," 22 Mar. 2018
But, Kapoor explained, developers and buyers often circumvent the rules, to avoid paying taxes during the registration process.

— anjali kamat, The New Republic, "Political Corruption and the Art of the Deal," 21 Mar. 2018
The law, first passed in 1989, bans the sale of dozens of specific semiautomatic and automatic models, and in an effort to stop gun makers from circumventing the law, legislators prohibited certain characteristics of weapons as well.

— bob egelko, San Francisco Chronicle, "Gun laws: Here’s how California and the federal government differ," 28 Feb. 2018
In the wake of a spate of mass shootings during the past few months, some of those localities are challenging the laws in court or narrowly crafting rules that circumvent the state.

— katie zezima, Washington Post, "Fla. officials who try to strengthen gun laws can be personally fined, kicked out of office," 25 Apr. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'circumvent.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

The Circular History of circumvent

If you’ve ever felt as if someone were circling around the rules, you have an idea of the origins of "circumvent" - it derives from the Latin circum, meaning "circle," and "ventus," the past participle of the Latin verb venire, meaning "to come." The earliest uses of "circumvent" referred to a tactic of hunting or warfare in which the quarry or enemy was encircled and captured. Today, however, "circumvent" more often suggests avoidance than entrapment; it typically means to "get around" someone or something, as in our example sentences.