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
  • Surveillance footage released by police showed Andreatta reaching for Pagano’s wrist, arm and shoulder before the two shook hands.
    — Nicole Buss, Sacbee.com, 4 Nov. 2026
  • Steve Witkoff called Vladimir Putin a humanitarian, which had a lot of people shook because, famously, Vladimir Putin also started this war.
    — Kelli Wessinger, Vox, 31 Oct. 2026
Definition of shook
Verb
  • But trouble lurked in a left-field box seat — and at shortstop.
    — Kori Rumore, Chicago Tribune, 14 Oct. 2026
  • Former landlords lurked in bushes or on roofs or waited in cars outside our home.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 30 Sep. 2026
Definition of lurked
Verb
  • Then, as if by magic, he was spotted at a nearby table, having snuck in through the back.
    — Kyle Eustice, VIBE.com, 28 Oct. 2026
  • Machado snuck out of Venezuela in late 2025 to accept the Nobel Peace Prize in Norway, after spending nearly a year in hiding.
    — Olivia Gazis, CBS News, 27 Oct. 2026
Definition of sneaked
Verb
  • Shoes are slipped off in corridors before entering the suites, which have simple Japanese names such as Washi (paper), Ishi (stone) and Take (bamboo).
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 5 Nov. 2026
  • Nvidia, which makes the chips for most of these AI data center projects, slipped just over 1%.
    — Kif Leswing, CNBC, 4 Nov. 2026
Definition of slipped
Verb
  • The online booking company slid more than 13% after issuing mostly weaker-than-expected guidance for the current quarter.
    — Sarah Min, CNBC, 5 Nov. 2026
  • Elon Musk’s companies SpaceX and Tesla each slid around 10%, largely in response to the midterm results.
    — Steve Kopack, NBC news, 5 Nov. 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 6 Nov. 2026.

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