1
as in to weasel
to avoid giving a definite answer or position
politicians who try to pussyfoot around hot-button issues
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Recent Examples of pussyfoot
Fragments of story are fed to us, but there’s no forward thrust, just a lot of pussyfooting around.
—
Theater Critic, Los Angeles Times, 22 Apr. 2026
Alright Genesis, the time for pussyfooting is over.
—New Atlas, 2 Apr. 2026
Several of these involve a furtive religious cult known as the Scars — its adherents have a way of pussyfooting through the forest and doing absolutely horrible things to nonbelievers.
—Tom Gliatto, People.com, 12 Apr. 2025
Delivering the News Dear Delivering: Here’s how: Stop pussyfooting around the subject and be completely honest with your mother.
—Abigail Van Buren, Boston Herald, 8 Feb. 2025
No less than Werner Herzog remade Murnau’s masterpiece in 1979, starring Klaus Kinski as the bald-headed bloodsucker; rather than pussyfoot around the whole rip-off-or-not aspect, the former doubles down and names the character Count Dracula.
—David Fear, Rolling Stone, 23 Dec. 2024
The results of this pussyfooting around are mixed, for everyone involved.
—Benedict Cosgrove, Newsweek, 18 Dec. 2024
In an interview that aired on NBC News this week, DeSantis for the first time finally stopped pussyfooting around whether Trump won in 2020.
—Philip Elliott, Time, 8 Aug. 2023
Yet other people want to pussyfoot around.
—Ed Symkus, USA TODAY, 3 Nov. 2020
Theater Critic, Los Angeles Times, 22 Apr. 2026
Alright Genesis, the time for pussyfooting is over.
—New Atlas, 2 Apr. 2026
Several of these involve a furtive religious cult known as the Scars — its adherents have a way of pussyfooting through the forest and doing absolutely horrible things to nonbelievers.
—Tom Gliatto, People.com, 12 Apr. 2025
Delivering the News Dear Delivering: Here’s how: Stop pussyfooting around the subject and be completely honest with your mother.
—Abigail Van Buren, Boston Herald, 8 Feb. 2025
No less than Werner Herzog remade Murnau’s masterpiece in 1979, starring Klaus Kinski as the bald-headed bloodsucker; rather than pussyfoot around the whole rip-off-or-not aspect, the former doubles down and names the character Count Dracula.
—David Fear, Rolling Stone, 23 Dec. 2024
The results of this pussyfooting around are mixed, for everyone involved.
—Benedict Cosgrove, Newsweek, 18 Dec. 2024
In an interview that aired on NBC News this week, DeSantis for the first time finally stopped pussyfooting around whether Trump won in 2020.
—Philip Elliott, Time, 8 Aug. 2023
Yet other people want to pussyfoot around.
—Ed Symkus, USA TODAY, 3 Nov. 2020
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pussyfoot
Verb
-
Microsoft now feels that OpenAI is trying to weasel its way around this clause, with both companies’ lawyers fighting for weeks over the latter’s agreement with Amazon, sources told the FT.—
Frank Landymore,
Futurism,
19 Mar. 2026
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The pair cling to each other over the coming weeks despite R.C’s increasing mistrust of Peter and Jerry’s determination to weasel his way back into Agnes’ life.—
Aramide Tinubu,
Variety,
9 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
There is obviously a larger lesson lurking here, one about needing to trick out courses to combat unending progress, but no one has any time for that.—
Brendan Quinn,
New York Times,
16 May 2026
-
There’s a set of boxing gloves lurking in that NPR tote bag.—
Rachel Marsden,
Hartford Courant,
16 May 2026
Verb
-
That afternoon, Djena sneaked out of the house to meet Shams at the neighborhood Starbucks.—
Yudhijit Bhattacharjee,
New Yorker,
18 May 2026
-
The Brewers tied it in the fourth when Luis Rengifo's grounder to third sneaked under Royce Lewis' glove and allowed Brice Turang to score.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
17 May 2026
Verb
-
Keeping the keyboard and mouse close to avoid overreaching. Taking a brief movement or stretching break every 30 to 60 minutes.—
Mira Miller,
Verywell Health,
18 June 2025
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Transitioning to mouse mode by simply placing the controller on a table made a potentially confusing input so much more intuitive.—
Jordan Minor,
PC Magazine,
5 June 2025
Verb
-
The pair will remain visible for a few hours after sunset, before slipping from view below the spring horizon.—
Anthony Wood,
Space.com,
19 May 2026
-
Underlying profit, which strips out non-trading items, slipped 8% to $458 million.—
Nicholas Gordon,
Fortune,
19 May 2026
Verb
-
Shaggy moved his limbs as instructed, and the carriage slid back and forth.—
Natalie Meade,
New Yorker,
18 May 2026
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His sliding catch in left field in the eighth prevented James Outman, who hit a one-out triple, from scoring the tying run from third.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
17 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Pussyfoot.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pussyfoot. Accessed 21 May. 2026.
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