dodge

noun \ ˈdäj \

Updated on: 19 Apr 2018

Definition of dodge

1 : an act of evading by sudden bodily movement

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

b : expedient

See dodge defined for English-language learners

See dodge defined for kids

Examples of dodge in a Sentence

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

Recent Examples of dodge from the Web

Specifically, the Mustangs (2-1 county, 7-1 overall) struggled to contain seniors Georgia Esmond and Anna Callahan, who combined to score seven goals using a variety of dodges and cradle maneuvers to create open shots.

— kyle stackpole, Howard County Times, "Glenelg girls lacrosse hands Marriotts Ridge first loss," 14 Apr. 2018
Because the test of the Volkswagen was a dodge: the diesel Beetle in question had been modified to put out relatively clean exhaust.

— steve mirsky, Scientific American, "Silliness and Scams Seem to Always Hitch a Ride with Human Activity," 1 Apr. 2018
Scuderi told the jurors this advice was a dodge to obscure the government’s lack of more powerful evidence, such as a tape catching Green admitting wrongdoing.

— craig r. mccoy, Philly.com, "At close of ex-Philly Sheriff John Green's trial, vastly different portraits," 28 Mar. 2018
Offshore tax havens, property tax dodges, and his various phone conversations with Blago that were secretly taped by the feds and somehow miraculously found their way to the Tribune.

— ben joravsky, Chicago Reader, "'Just beat Rauner': The tables have turned as Dems line up behind Pritzker," 22 Mar. 2018
There was a cheek kiss, which many read as a dodge from Rihanna, and an after-party that told a different story.

— peggy truong, Cosmopolitan, "Rihanna and Drake Grab Dinner Together, Are Still Not a Couple," 30 Aug. 2016
That’s an egregious dodge of responsibility, considering the gutter politics LaHood embraced in the last week of his campaign — in hindsight, likely a sign of desperation.

— brian chasnoff, San Antonio Express-News, "For LaHood, pride came before the fall," 6 Mar. 2018
Boeing had characterized that plan as a dodge to get around the tariffs and had questioned whether it ever would be built.

— lawrence specker, AL.com, "Bombardier gets win against Boeing in high-stakes trade case," 26 Jan. 2018
It was learned a boy, 5, had wandered onto an adult dodge-ball court and got hit in the face.

— andy attina / cleveland.com, cleveland.com, "Large fight breaks out at Sky Zone after boy is hit in head with ball: Highland Heights Police Blotter," 21 Feb. 2018

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.

Origin and Etymology of dodge

origin unknown

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 1575

in the meaning defined at sense 1

See Words from the same year

dodge Synonyms

Synonyms

artifice, device, flimflam, gambit, gimmick, jig, knack, play, ploy, scheme, shenanigan, sleight, stratagem, trick, wile;

Related Words

bluff, feint;

cheating, chicanery, cozenage, craft, cunning, deception, duplicity, fakery, jugglery, legerdemain, skulduggery (or skullduggery), subterfuge, swindling, trickery;

fraud, hoax, sham, swindle;

blind, front, smoke screen;

Phrases

sleight of hand;

dodge

verb

Definition of dodge

dodged; dodging

intransitive verb

1 a : 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

1 a : 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

See dodge defined for English-language learners

Examples of dodge in a Sentence

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 of dodge from the Web

But Zuckerberg continually dodged the question about advertisers by talking about what users are sharing.

— emily stewart, Vox, "The privacy question Mark Zuckerberg kept dodging," 11 Apr. 2018
The most obvious way to dodge monitoring is by using a virtual private network.

— sean gallagher, Ars Technica, "How to keep your ISP’s nose out of your browser history with encrypted DNS," 8 Apr. 2018
Urena dodged a threat in the sixth when the Red Sox put together back-to-back singles with one out.

— craig davis, Sun-Sentinel.com, "Marlins fall to Red Sox in 13 on Ramirez's 2-run double, waste Urena's splendid start," 4 Apr. 2018
When the Stars and Bars question came up in a debate, Bush dodged it by saying the flag controversy was a matter for South Carolina residents to decide.

— azcentral, "John McCain's 2000 presidential run saw challenges, 'ugly' politics," 2 Apr. 2018
But even the companies that have been the subject of headlines have managed to dodge testimony.

— erin mershon, STAT, "Congress loves shaming CEOs. So why hasn’t pharma been put on the hot seat?," 28 Mar. 2018
Bullet dodged Lastly, some happy news from the tumultuous world of corporate politicking.

— hayden dingman, PCWorld, "This week in games: Elder Scrolls Online heads to Summerset, Modern Warfare 2 remaster rumors," 23 Mar. 2018
After months of dodging photos and keeping a low profile online, Kylie Jenner is making up for lost time now that her baby girl Stormi Webster is here.

— hilary hughes, Billboard, "Kylie Jenner Can't Get Enough of Baby Stormi's Cheeks on Instagram," 6 Mar. 2018
During the race for the first of Halliday’s three keys, Wade and the other competing avatars must dodge a number of obstacles.

— Time, "A Handy Guide to the References and Easter Eggs in Ready Player One," 30 Mar. 2018

First Known Use of dodge

1680

in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 1a

See Words from the same year

NEW! Time Traveler

dodge Synonyms

Dodge

biographical name \ ˈdäj \

Definition of Dodge

Mary Elizabeth 1831–1905 née Mapes play \ˈmāps\ American author

DODGE Defined for English Language Learners

dodge

noun

Definition of dodge for English Language Learners

: a clever or dishonest trick done in order to avoid something

dodge

verb

Definition of dodge for English Language Learners

: to move quickly to one side in order to avoid being hit by (someone or something)
: to move quickly in order to avoid being hit, seen, stopped, etc.
: to get away from or avoid (someone or something) in a skillful or dishonest way