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

Not long after coming on as a substitute, Hanson cut inside from the left wing and showed some fancy footwork to get past his defender before his cross bounced off a Naples defender and into the back of the net in the 82nd minute. —Shaun Goodwin, Idaho Statesman, 14 May 2026

The southpaw is renowned for his hand speed, his eye-catching footwork and his ability to find angles for punches, which can leave opponents bamboozled. —Sarah Shephard, New York Times, 13 May 2026

Most notably, the crafty Brunson got Embiid in isolation, used some fancy footwork to get the big man turned around, then pulled up for a second-quarter jumper that gave the Knicks a 59-42 lead. —Peter Sblendorio, New York Daily News, 5 May 2026

But Inoue used his quick footwork to evade them, landing some jabs back in the process. —ABC News, 2 May 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)