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
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
What a crazy, zany coincidence that Harden pussyfooted around the controversy set off by Morey’s tweet.
—Scott Ostler, SFChronicle.com, 12 Oct. 2019
Deputy Managing Editor Yesha Callahan is gonna be mad at this short-ass lede, but today there’s no need to pussyfoot around.
—Michael Harriot, The Root, 15 June 2018
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
What a crazy, zany coincidence that Harden pussyfooted around the controversy set off by Morey’s tweet.
—Scott Ostler, SFChronicle.com, 12 Oct. 2019
Deputy Managing Editor Yesha Callahan is gonna be mad at this short-ass lede, but today there’s no need to pussyfoot around.
—Michael Harriot, The Root, 15 June 2018
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pussyfoot
Verb
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Trying to weasel things by providing additional levels is abhorrent.—
Lance Eliot,
Forbes,
20 Nov. 2024
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But when Douglas doesn’t invite her to the business dinner, the show suddenly takes a turn into wacky sitcom territory, with Maxine trying to weasel her way into Douglas’s business to meet and invite the Prince to the Beach Ball.—
Tom Smyth,
Vulture,
10 Apr. 2024
Verb
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Mars will appear in the constellation Cancer in the western sky, while Jupiter will lurk close to the horizon, setting just a few hours after the sun.—
Anthony Wood,
Space.com,
13 May 2025
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Probably not as many as are lurking on your medicine cabinet shelves.—
Mary Cornetta,
Better Homes & Gardens,
10 May 2025
Verb
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On Tuesday, Leo sneaked into the headquarters of his Augustinian order right off St. Peter’s Square.—
Mitra Taj,
New York Times,
17 May 2025
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The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon host and the singer — a.k.a Abel Tesfaye — snuck to Fordham University, where its graduating class of 2025 was gathered to celebrate.—
Rachel Raposas,
People.com,
16 May 2025
Verb
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Meanwhile, Arakawa's death at 65 is attributed to hantavirus pulmonary syndrome, a disease usually contracted from exposure to mouse droppings that affects the lungs.—
Shania Russell,
EW.com,
28 Apr. 2025
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Such original approaches to mouse controls could be Nintendo's secret weapon on the Switch 2, and developers are already coming up with more inventive uses for the tech than simply bringing a cursor to console gaming.—
Matt Kamen,
Wired News,
20 Apr. 2025
Verb
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The team has just one win during the past seven games, has given up 20 goals during that spell and slipped to sixth place in the Eastern Conference heading into a road game Saturday against the first-place Philadelphia Union.—
Michelle Kaufman,
Miami Herald,
21 May 2025
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Shares of Lockheed have slipped nearly 3% so far in 2025.—
Brian Evans,
CNBC,
21 May 2025
Verb
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If your goal is to invest in a pair of supportive yet stylish sandals or slides to complement every outfit in your suitcase, then Birkenstock has proven to craft the best shoes for the job.—
Merrell Readman,
Travel + Leisure,
23 May 2025
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Bitcoin touched a record high above $111,000, and oil prices slid after Bloomberg said oil producing member countries, or OPEC+, are discussing a potential third consecutive oil production surge in July, with an output hike of 411,000 barrels a day among the options under consideration.—
Medora Lee,
USA Today,
23 May 2025
Cite this Entry
“Pussyfoot.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pussyfoot. Accessed 27 May. 2025.
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