1
as in to circumvent
to avoid having to comply with (something) especially through cleverness
the eager enlistee sidestepped the regulations by lying about his age
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of sidestep
Adler’s study underscores how easily a chatbot can join a user in a conversation that becomes untethered from reality—and how easily the AI platforms’ internal safeguards can be sidestepped or overcome.
—
Beatrice Nolan, Fortune, 19 Oct. 2025
The wood-burning stove kills two birds with one stone (well, technically about two dozen stones, give or take), providing an authentic, traditional sauna experience while also sidestepping the need for electricity from an outlet or portable generator.
—Dean Stattmann, Outside, 19 Oct. 2025
It’s been speculated Titans owner Amy Adams Strunk fired Callahan this week to sidestep the embarrassment of Vrabel schooling his successor Sunday.
—Andrew Callahan, Boston Herald, 16 Oct. 2025
Andrews threw her support behind some of the projects despite opposition from neighbors and also proposed exceptions that allowed luxury apartment developments to sidestep affordable housing requirements.
—Jordan Smith, IndyStar, 15 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for sidestep
Beatrice Nolan, Fortune, 19 Oct. 2025
The wood-burning stove kills two birds with one stone (well, technically about two dozen stones, give or take), providing an authentic, traditional sauna experience while also sidestepping the need for electricity from an outlet or portable generator.
—Dean Stattmann, Outside, 19 Oct. 2025
It’s been speculated Titans owner Amy Adams Strunk fired Callahan this week to sidestep the embarrassment of Vrabel schooling his successor Sunday.
—Andrew Callahan, Boston Herald, 16 Oct. 2025
Andrews threw her support behind some of the projects despite opposition from neighbors and also proposed exceptions that allowed luxury apartment developments to sidestep affordable housing requirements.
—Jordan Smith, IndyStar, 15 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for sidestep
Recent Examples of Synonyms for sidestep
Verb
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Many protestors rallied online on platforms including X Spaces after downloading VPNs to circumvent the shutdown.—
Martin K.N Siele,
semafor.com,
31 Oct. 2025
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If his primary issue with Comcast buying WBD is CNN, a divestiture or deal without the network could circumvent those issues.—
Alex Sherman,Lillian Rizzo,
CNBC,
30 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Both directors have observed stan-worthy deep dives on social media, especially in TikTok videos, where fans are combing through moments of foreshadowing or character details that the filmmakers weaved into the story with love.—
Brittany Spanos,
Rolling Stone,
28 Oct. 2025
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Construction of the gown weaved intricate embroidery with crystal embellishments, articulating sensuality and a regal presence.—
Julia Teti,
Footwear News,
28 Oct. 2025
Verb
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The update to trick-or-treating time was made to avoid a conflict with high school football playoff games.—
Suzanne Blake,
MSNBC Newsweek,
31 Oct. 2025
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To avoid making a bigger mess, place your rug on a tarp, drop cloth, or large piece of plastic instead of directly onto the ground.—
Jennifer Beck Goldblatt,
Architectural Digest,
31 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Take the train from Copenhagen in under three hours and wander Aarhus’s pretty streets strung with Christmas lights, ducking into boutiques and cafés before making your way to one of two Christmas markets.—
Sophie Friedman,
AFAR Media,
27 Oct. 2025
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Qing Yuan opened the tap, gripped the edge of the trough, and ducked his head under the water.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
23 Oct. 2025
Verb
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In addition to the allegations that the companies hid the risks of taking acetaminophen, Paxton’s lawsuit also alleges that Johnson & Johnson sought to evade liability for its actions by spinning off Kenvue.—
Solcyré Burga,
Time,
28 Oct. 2025
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Neither Father Burke or Sister Irene realize it at the end of the movie, but Valak evades banishment by possessing Frenchie.—
Julie Tremaine,
PEOPLE,
27 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Miškinis and writer Eglė Vertelytė (who adapts Rimantas Kmita’s semi-autobiographical novel) masterfully dodge genre tropes, avoiding confining their characters to simplistic labels and keeping the focus of their arcs self-motivated.—
Courtney Howard,
Variety,
30 Oct. 2025
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On the transgender issue, Earle-Sears has attacked Spanberger over the inclusion of transgender-identifying biological males in women’s sports, restrooms, and locker rooms as the Democratic candidate dodges the subject and says the issue should be handled locally.—
David Zimmermann,
The Washington Examiner,
30 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Forecaster say the storm will head northeast and bypass Florida.—
Miami Herald,
Miami Herald,
28 Oct. 2025
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Bessent, who specialized in foreign exchange in a decades-long hedge fund career, organized a $20 billion foreign-exchange swap with Argentina’s central bank earlier this month — an unusual structure that bypassed the US Federal Reserve, which is typically the lead party in such arrangements.—
Daniel Flatley,
Fortune,
27 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Sidestep.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sidestep. Accessed 4 Nov. 2025.
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