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
-
From there, the Giants remained deadlocked in a 1-1 tie until the 10th, though San Francisco’s relievers had to weasel their way out of trouble to keep the game tied.—
Justice delos Santos,
Mercury News,
8 June 2026
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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
Verb
-
That eventually leads to millions of planets lurking in the outskirts of an AGN disk.—
Robert Lea,
Space.com,
14 June 2026
-
The point is, surprises are lurking everywhere in primary elections.—
Sun Sentinel Editorial Board,
Sun Sentinel,
13 June 2026
Verb
-
Gonzales snuck a bloop single inside the right-field line and Tyler Callihan hit a sweeper off the end of the bat between shortstop and third.—
Miami Herald,
Miami Herald,
14 June 2026
-
Lee nearly snuck a single into right field in the bottom of the fourth, but second baseman Nico Hoerner made a diving stop of Lee’s grounder to rob him of a hit.—
Justice delos Santos,
Mercury News,
13 June 2026
Verb
-
Police continued searching the home and found rat and mouse feces throughout, rotting food on the kitchen counter covered with flies and other bugs, and maggots in standing water in the kitchen sink.—
Christine Pelisek,
PEOPLE,
1 June 2026
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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
Verb
-
Trip plans unravel fast when flights slip, baggage goes missing, or a surprise cold snap hits the destination.—
Gretchen Wittenmyer-Stone,
Miami Herald,
9 June 2026
-
Because play in football is rarely interrupted, unlike American football, US TV broadcasters had to figure out creative ways to slip ads into games.—
Bloomberg,
Mercury News,
9 June 2026
Verb
-
Tire tread depth - Checking your tire tread before hitting the road is important, as low or no tread can lead to sliding.—
KANSAS CITY STAR WEATHER BOT,
Kansas City Star,
14 June 2026
-
Within a year, the Legislature beefed up safety regulations on mobile homes, requiring them to be secured with anchors and tie-downs to prevent overturning and sliding during heavy winds.—
Martin E. Comas,
The Orlando Sentinel,
14 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Pussyfoot.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pussyfoot. Accessed 16 Jun. 2026.
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