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

When the Falcons’ quarterbacks went through footwork and hand-off drills during Wednesday’s practice, Cooper Rush paced the unit at each turn. — Daniel Flick, AJC.com, 17 Sep. 2026

Is there a lot of fog being pumped in that maybe covered up some night-one footwork? — Maggie Fremont, Vulture, 17 Sep. 2026

Hailey chose a jive but knows Sarah Janes needs precise footwork. — Colleen Kratofil, PEOPLE, 17 Sep. 2026

There’s also a greater emphasis on Dart’s footwork in this system, which must be synced up with the timing of the receivers’ routes. — Dan Duggan, New York Times, 10 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)