dodge

noun

\ ˈdäj

Definition of dodge

(Entry 1 of 3)

1 : an act of evading by sudden bodily movement

2a : an artful device to evade, deceive, or trick

b : expedient

dodge

verb

dodged; dodging

Definition of dodge (Entry 2 of 3)

intransitive verb

1a : to move to and fro or from place to place usually in an irregular course dodged through the crowd

b : to make a sudden movement in a new direction (as to evade a blow) dodged behind the door

2 : to evade a responsibility or duty especially by trickery or deceit

transitive verb

1a : to evade by a sudden or repeated shift of position dodge tacklers

b : to avoid an encounter with celebrities dodging the media

2 : to evade (something, such as a duty) usually indirectly or by trickery dodged the draft by leaving the country dodged questions

dodge a bullet or less commonly dodge the bullet

: to narrowly avoid an unwelcome, harmful, or disastrous outcome or occurrence coastal towns dodged a bullet when the hurricane veered out to sea

Dodge

biographical name

\ ˈdäj

Definition of Dodge (Entry 3 of 3)

Mary Elizabeth 1831–1905 née Mapes \ ˈmāps

\ American author

Other Words from dodge Synonyms More Example Sentences Learn More about dodge

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Examples of dodge in a Sentence

Noun

It was just another dodge to get out of working. just another dodge to get out of working in the yard

Verb

He dodged the first punch but was hit by the second. She dodged through the crowds as she hurried home. We dodged between the cars as we raced across the street. They managed to dodge the reporters by leaving through the back exit. She accused him of dodging his responsibilities as a parent.

Recent Examples on the Web: Noun

This is, of course, an ancient dodge well understood by insurance companies and other consumer-facing businesses: With every hoop claimants are forced to jump through, a certain percentage will give up. — Michael Hiltzik, Los Angeles Times, "Column: Did the FTC mislead consumers about its Equifax data breach settlement? Yes!," 10 Sep. 2019 Saladino was the promoter of a bogus tax dodge who insisted that personal income in the United States wasn’t taxable and had filed about 1,800 returns on behalf of clients who claimed to owe no income tax. — Maxine Bernstein, oregonlive.com, "Feds say Oregon man deliberately didn’t file tax returns; his lawyer says he believed he deserved a religious accommodation," 12 Aug. 2019 Whatever the reasons for Mueller's halting performance, whether his apparent befuddlement was artful dodge or evidence of the creeping effects of age and strain, this was always going to be a reluctant, cautious witness. — Marc Fisher, Anchorage Daily News, "ANALYSIS: On Mueller’s final day on the national stage, a halting, faltering performance," 25 July 2019 Doing this changes the default behavior for your active character's primary attack and dodge. — Sam Machkovech, Ars Technica, "Final Fantasy VII Remake hands-on: Already feels like the one for jaded JRPG fans," 15 June 2019 The ‘token’ woman on a board of directors, for instance, can serve as a hallow corporate symbol of equality; her presence lets the firm dodge criticism without having to enact real change. — Claire Zillman, Fortune, "Why This Trans Rights Activist Is Embracing 'Tokenism:' Broadsheet June 5," 5 June 2019 The decades-old practice known as tax-loss harvesting, or strategically taking investment losses to offset income, is a perfectly legal maneuver that doesn’t so much dodge taxes as defer them. — Asjylyn Loder, WSJ, "Beware the Bold Claims of Tax-Loss Harvesting," 13 Apr. 2019 Enemy clarity is no small thing to lose during high-level combat, when a single bad dodge could be the difference between victory and loot-annihilating defeat. — Sam Machkovech, Ars Technica, "Diablo 3, Untitled Goose Game lead PAX West’s Nintendo Switch lineup," 4 Sep. 2018 Now, the tool includes upcoming holiday and school breaks—think Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Presidents' Day, and spring break—to provide destination inspiration, and make getting out of dodge even easier. — Katherine Lagrave, Condé Nast Traveler, "Google Wants to Plan Your MLK and Presidents’ Day Weekends," 17 Dec. 2018

Recent Examples on the Web: Verb

South Florida was in the direct path of a Category 4 storm, only to dodge a major disaster when Irma turned at the last minute and headed up the west coast of Florida instead. — Anchorage Daily News, "Hurricane Dorian’s unpredictable path has officials, residents in four states unsettled," 1 Sep. 2019 When the war and Harry’s attempts to dodge the draft intervene, their relationship is torn apart, but Jo still yearns for Harry. — Maureen Lee Lenker, EW.com, "8 essential Judy Garland movies that aren't The Wizard of Oz," 23 Aug. 2019 Locked in the ice, the Polarstern won’t be able to dodge storms. — Eli Kintisch, Science | AAAS, "Arctic researchers will lock this ship in ice for a year to study the changing polar region," 20 Aug. 2019 Thoughtless comments by our draft-dodging commander-in-chief who has never heard a round fired in anger. — Letters To The Editor, The Mercury News, "Letter: Trump talks of war when upset over progress in Afghanistan?," 3 Aug. 2019 Venezuelan dictator is converting airport taxes to Bitcoin in a bid to dodge sanctions. — Robert Hackett, Fortune, "Here Comes the IRS—The Ledger," 29 July 2019 New York -- Former Manhattan District Attorney Robert M. Morgenthau, who spent more than three decades jailing criminals from mob kingpins and drug-dealing killers to a tax-dodging Harvard dean, died Sunday. — CBS News, "Robert Morgenthau, longest-serving Manhattan DA who inspired “Law and Order” character, has died at 99," 22 July 2019 Morgenthau, who died Sunday at 99, just 10 days before turning 100, spent nearly half his life jailing criminals from mob kingpins and drug-dealing killers to a tax-dodging Harvard dean. — Fox News, "Former Manhattan DA Morgenthau dead at 99," 22 July 2019 Even the draft-dodging young German hustler who built his American Dream one brothel at a time, and whose grandson became president. — Amgad Naguib, Twin Cities, "Amgad Naguib: Lazy people don’t immigrate," 11 July 2019

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