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

After a poor start to his career in Tennessee, Willis became more fundamentally sound with his footwork in Green Bay. — Barry Jackson, Miami Herald, 5 Oct. 2026

Harvey did that by constantly running, working on his pass-rushing repertoire and his footwork using cone drills. — Sam Jane, Denver Post, 2 Oct. 2026

On Wednesday, Saleh said part of Ward’s problems with footwork and decision-making this season could likely be tied to post-traumatic stress from getting sacked so often last season. — Matt Moret, New York Times, 1 Oct. 2026

Martin even showed off some fun footwork of his own to the vibrant beat of the song, which blends the sounds of pop, funk, samba, reggaeton, mambo and salsa. — Ashley Iasimone, Billboard, 27 Sep. 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)