footwork

noun

foot·​work ˈfu̇t-ˌwərk 

1

: the activity of moving from place to place

the investigation entailed a lot of footwork

2

: the management of the feet (as in boxing)

also : the work done with them

3

: active and adroit maneuvering to achieve an end

fancy political footwork

Examples of footwork in a Sentence

The investigation required a lot of footwork.

He used quick footwork to dodge his opponent.

The tango involves some fancy footwork.

He knows that getting enough votes for the proposal is going to require some fancy political footwork.

Recent Examples on the Web

Diggs was a route technician in every sense, setting up his separation with his footwork and often making the defender look foolish. —Joe Buscaglia, New York Times, 8 Mar. 2026

Some of this has to do with his physical skills and attributes—his footwork, his body control—but a lot of it has to do with his anticipation and his vision, which opens up the court. —Louisa Thomas, New Yorker, 1 Mar. 2026

Haggerty isn’t the most explosive athlete, but was still able to get to his spots with his crafty footwork to find space through the TCU defense. —Steven Johnson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 1 Mar. 2026

Duzan praised her efforts with Harper, noting his footwork in the post. —Michael Osipoff, Chicago Tribune, 26 Feb. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1859, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for footwork

• artwork
• beadwork
• berserk
• breastwork
• brickwork
• brushwork
• casework
• classwork
• clockwork
• coursework
• ductwork
• earthwork

Kids Definition

footwork

noun

foot·​work -ˌwərk 

: the movement of the feet (as in boxing)