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

Freeling has shown good footwork throughout camp and his future remains bright. — Joseph Person, New York Times, 26 Aug. 2026

While Anudike-Uzomah was the final pick in that 2023 first round, Delane was taken in the top 10 in 2026 because of his footwork, speed, competitiveness and versatility to play inside, outside, press-man or zone. — Jeff Fedotin, Forbes.com, 23 Aug. 2026

Chiefs coach Andy Reid has said the next challenge is timing Johnson’s footwork to match the gaps set up by the offensive line. — Blair Kerkhoff, Kansas City Star, 21 Aug. 2026

Shooting mechanics will be a focus of this upcoming camp since that’s Hodges’ specialty, but attendees will also work on other areas, including footwork, defense, ball-handling and basketball IQ training. — Carolyn Stein, Chicago Tribune, 17 Aug. 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)