circumvent

verb

cir·​cum·​vent ˌsər-kəm-ˈvent How to pronounce circumvent (audio)
circumvented; circumventing; circumvents

transitive verb

1
: to manage to get around especially by ingenuity or stratagem
the setup circumvented the red tapeLynne 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
circumvention noun

Did you know?

The Circular History of Circumvent

If you’ve ever felt as if someone was running circles around those trying to get something done, you have an idea of the origins of circumvent—it comes from the Latin word circumventus, a form of the verb circumvenire, meaning “to surround or go around” (circumvenire combines the adverb circum, “in a circle around,” and the verb venire, “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. This meaning doesn’t exactly square with modern uses of the word. Today, circumvent more often suggests avoidance than entrapment; to come full circle, it typically means to “get around” someone or something, as by evading a problem or avoiding the law.

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 on the Web The plane was exported from the U.S. to Venezuela, through the Caribbean, in April 2023 in a transaction meant to circumvent an executive order that bars U.S. persons from business transactions with the Maduro regime, officials say. Eric Tucker, Los Angeles Times, 2 Sep. 2024 The plane was then exported from the U.S. to Venezuela, through the Caribbean, in April 2023 in a transaction meant to circumvent an executive order that bars U.S. persons from business transactions with representatives of the Maduro regime. Eric Tucker, TIME, 2 Sep. 2024 Since preschool, Fang had been officially registered as the daughter of her eldest uncle – an attempt by her birth parents to circumvent harsh penalties for having a second baby under China’s controversial one-child policy that was enforced from 1980 to 2015. Joyce Jiang, CNN, 18 Aug. 2024 Because the High Court’s decision interpreted the Constitution, this bill is an attempt to circumvent the cumbersome and years-long process to amend the Constitution and instead legislate the Supreme Court’s jurisdiction. Marianna Sotomayor, Washington Post, 1 Aug. 2024 See all Example Sentences for circumvent 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'circumvent.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Latin circumventus, past participle of circumvenire, from circum- + venire to come — more at come

First Known Use

1539, in the meaning defined at sense 2a

Time Traveler
The first known use of circumvent was in 1539

Podcast

Dictionary Entries Near circumvent

Cite this Entry

“Circumvent.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/circumvent. Accessed 3 Oct. 2024.

Kids Definition

circumvent

verb
cir·​cum·​vent ˌsər-kəm-ˈvent How to pronounce circumvent (audio)
1
: to go around : bypass entry 2
2
: to get the better of or avoid the force or effect of by cleverness
circumvented the rules
circumvention noun

More from Merriam-Webster on circumvent

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!