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pussyfooted

verb

past tense of pussyfoot
1
as in weaseled
to avoid giving a definite answer or position politicians who try to pussyfoot around hot-button issues

Synonyms & Similar Words

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2
as in lurked
to move about in a sly or secret manner pussyfooting through the hallways in the middle of the night

Synonyms & Similar Words

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for pussyfooted
  1. shook
  2. lurked
  3. sneaked
  4. slipped
  5. slid
Verb
  • Love shook off a hit to his elbow that led to some numbness in his right hand to throw two touchdown passes for the Packers (1-1).
    — ABC News, ABC News, 20 Sep. 2026
  • In the coastal village of Quinhagak, the storm shook houses and damaged some buildings and infrastructure.
    — Samantha Watson, NPR, 19 Sep. 2026
Definition of shook
Verb
  • Danger lurked in the shady groves of avocado trees that stretched on the mountainsides as far as the eye could see.
    — Kate Linthicum, Los Angeles Times, 6 Sep. 2026
  • Rhetoric that had lurked in conspiracy-minded corners of the internet was now coming from the federal government itself.
    — Eric Boodman, STAT, 3 Sep. 2026
Definition of lurked
Verb
  • Armstrong even sneaked ahead and pulled off a proper jump scare as himself, pointing out a mirror that created a hiding spot for performers.
    — Rodney Ho, AJC.com, 18 Sep. 2026
  • Hutton snuck in a right-footed shot from a narrow angle in the 73rd minute, trimming the lead.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 17 Sep. 2026
Definition of sneaked
Verb
  • The audience rating on Rotten Tomatoes also has slipped, from 90% for Season 1 to 69% for Season 2.
    — Nellie Andreeva, Deadline, 23 Sep. 2026
  • For years, Marset had slipped through the fingers of law enforcement in multiple countries.
    — Senior Editor, Los Angeles Times, 23 Sep. 2026
Definition of slipped
Verb
  • The Labor Department reported Thursday that jobless claims slid to 196,000, the fewest since mid-July and down from 206,000 the week before.
    — Paul Wiseman, Los Angeles Times, 17 Sep. 2026
  • Carter slid inside and Thibodeaux rushed from the edge on third-and-5 late in the first half.
    — Dan Duggan, New York Times, 15 Sep. 2026
Definition of slid
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Browse Nearby Words

pussyfoot
pussyfooted
pussyfooting
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Cite this Entry

“Pussyfooted.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pussyfooted. Accessed 25 Sep. 2026.

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