1
as in to bypass
to avoid having to comply with (something) especially through cleverness
employees who try to circumvent the company's dress code
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to avoid
to avoid by going around
circumvented the traffic jam by taking an alternate route
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in to traverse
to travel completely around
most casual joggers will be able to circumvent the reservoir without too much of a strain
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of circumvent
Instead, consider alternative types like a gold IRA or gold ETF, which circumvent some of these issues while still allowing you to get invested effectively in the gold market now.
—
Matt Richardson, CBS News, 23 Feb. 2026
Democratic leaders in California responded, putting forward a successful ballot measure to circumvent the state's independent redistricting commission and create five more favorable seats for Democrats.
—Ashley Lopez, NPR, 22 Feb. 2026
Violence has erupted in western Mexico in the wake of El Mencho’s death, with reports of vehicles being burned in at least six states, which is a common tactic used by drug cartels to circumvent military operations.
—Althea Legaspi, Rolling Stone, 22 Feb. 2026
Online games often ask players to scan driver’s licenses to verify their ages, but Glick said young people find ways to circumvent those rules.
—Noelle Phillips, Denver Post, 21 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for circumvent
Matt Richardson, CBS News, 23 Feb. 2026
Democratic leaders in California responded, putting forward a successful ballot measure to circumvent the state's independent redistricting commission and create five more favorable seats for Democrats.
—Ashley Lopez, NPR, 22 Feb. 2026
Violence has erupted in western Mexico in the wake of El Mencho’s death, with reports of vehicles being burned in at least six states, which is a common tactic used by drug cartels to circumvent military operations.
—Althea Legaspi, Rolling Stone, 22 Feb. 2026
Online games often ask players to scan driver’s licenses to verify their ages, but Glick said young people find ways to circumvent those rules.
—Noelle Phillips, Denver Post, 21 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for circumvent
Recent Examples of Synonyms for circumvent
Verb
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One professor questioned whether Uthmeier bypassed a separate law school policy requiring full faculty approval when an adjunct teaches two courses in the same academic year.—
Garrett Shanley,
Miami Herald,
25 Feb. 2026
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University of Texas Regents handpicked President Jim Davis to lead its flagship university one year ago, bypassing a national search or a process that would have involved input from a committee of other UT presidents, faculty, alumni and students.—
Lily Kepner,
Austin American Statesman,
25 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Everyone’s hearts are closer to the surface than usual, so being tolerant of one another’s idiosyncrasies could be necessary to avoid strife.—
Tarot.com,
Baltimore Sun,
1 Mar. 2026
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Critics believed that greater transparency would have helped the union avoid the missteps that led to the selection of Howell, who endured multiple controversies during his 34-year executive career with Booz Allen.—
Mike Jones,
New York Times,
28 Feb. 2026
Verb
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The Boise State men’s basketball team has traversed the 2025-26 season without a true team leader, instead relying on individual nights of brilliance from one of several players to win games.—
Shaun Goodwin,
Idaho Statesman,
1 Mar. 2026
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With commercial truck builds that are bigger than average cars, difficulty halting, and limited maneuvering, these factors can make traversing construction zones riskier for commercial truck drivers.—
Wyles Daniel,
USA TODAY,
27 Feb. 2026
Verb
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There was no immediate confirmation that Iranian missiles had managed to evade its defense systems to strike the ship on Sunday.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
1 Mar. 2026
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The remaining charges included unlawful carrying of a weapon, theft, evading arrest, burglary, fraud and unauthorized use of a vehicle.—
Claire Osborn,
Austin American Statesman,
28 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Smartphone makers have over the years gradually infused software with more AI tools—like the ability to search for something just by circling it on screen or erasing unwanted objects from photos.—
Lisa Eadicicco,
CNN Money,
25 Feb. 2026
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Meanwhile, the Padres’ Jase Bowen circled the bases.—
Jeff Fletcher,
Oc Register,
25 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Take a break from mundane tasks and escape into your own world, where you will not be bothered.—
Lisa Stardust,
Vogue,
2 Mar. 2026
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Of over 17,000 payloads launched into space, only six will escape the Solar System’s gravity.—
Big Think,
Big Think,
2 Mar. 2026
Verb
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There dense clouds of dust and spindly filaments of cold molecular gas, the basic matter from which stars form, encircle the galaxy’s central supermassive black hole, Sagittarius A*.—
Claire Cameron,
Scientific American,
26 Feb. 2026
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Much like snowballs are composed of clusters of snowflakes, planetesimals likely arose within the disks of dust that encircled the newborn sun from clouds of pebble-sized objects pulled together by their mutual gravitational attraction.—
Charles Q. Choi,
Space.com,
26 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Visiting boats moor in the bay but keep to the far side, close enough to admire and distant enough to ignore.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
25 Feb. 2026
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And, presumably, she’s ignored that.—
R. Eric Thomas,
Denver Post,
25 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Circumvent.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/circumvent. Accessed 3 Mar. 2026.
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