SIDESTEPPED Synonyms: 53 Similar and Opposite Words

sidestepped

verb

past tense of sidestep

as in circumvented

to avoid having to comply with (something) especially through cleverness the eager enlistee sidestepped the regulations by lying about his age

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in ducked

to move suddenly aside or to and fro the startled spectator sidestepped away from the oncoming ball

Synonyms & Similar Words

Example Sentences

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.

Recent Examples of sidestepped The Marine Corps is also on track to meet its recruiting goal this year, according to officials, having largely sidestepped the deeper struggles facing the other services. — Steven Beynon, ABC News, 17 Aug. 2026 The South African Reserve Bank blocked funds belonging to Kastelo in late 2025 after uncovering transfers that allegedly sidestepped local capital regulations, Business Day reported. — Tiisetso Motsoeneng, semafor.com, 17 Aug. 2026 In the rush to deploy AI, many companies sidestepped an analytically rigorous investment approach. — Jim Deloach, Forbes.com, 17 Aug. 2026 To be decided Johnson has not officially declared his candidacy and has sidestepped questions about seeking reelection by saying he is focused on running Chicago. — Alice Yin, Chicago Tribune, 5 Aug. 2026 This was no grilling, though, as the Italian set out his thoughts on the new job and sidestepped any tricky questions with the aid of a wide smile. — Sam Lee, New York Times, 25 July 2026 Bonta and the other state attorneys sidestepped the political landscape in making their lawsuit arguments. — Meg James, Los Angeles Times, 25 July 2026 Yet Jackson opened his first general election rally with a 19-minute speech that focused on his opponent and sidestepped any mention of Trump at all. — Greg Bluestein, AJC.com, 20 July 2026 The blue-chip Dow Jones Industrial Average sidestepped some of the market turmoil, thanks in part to UnitedHealth’s post-earnings gain. — Alex Harring, CNBC, 17 July 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for sidestepped

Verb

Now Nightmare Eclipse claims to have effectively circumvented the company’s patch through ShieldBreak by apparently leveraging a different method.

— Michael Kan, PC Magazine, 12 Aug. 2026
Steve Ballmer, the team’s owner, invested $60 million into Aspiration, triggering allegations that the payment to Leonard circumvented the NBA salary cap.

— Steve Henson, Los Angeles Times, 7 Aug. 2026

Definition of circumvented

Verb

In Minneapolis and New Orleans, CNN found once-bustling shops and restaurants growing quiet during federal immigration operations as some immigrants avoided work and parents kept children home from school.

— Maria Santana, CNN Money, 15 Aug. 2026
Those have avoided injuries to key players that can demoralize a team and affect a season.

— Brooks Kubena, New York Times, 15 Aug. 2026

Definition of avoided

Verb

Throughout the morning, a steady influx of voters walking into the library dodged eager campaign staffers handing out political flyers in the parking lot, hoping to win last minute votes for their candidates.

— Lauren Costantino, Miami Herald, 15 Aug. 2026
The measure is intended to get ahead of Chinese manufacturers, who have dodged previous US trade barriers by shifting production between a litany of third countries.

— Tim McDonnell, semafor.com, 11 Aug. 2026

Definition of dodged

Verb

In the foreseeable future, a terrorist group with minimal skills could access a jailbroken AI model (one that has evaded safety controls) trained on the world’s most comprehensive biological data set.

— Elizabeth Sherwood-Randall, Foreign Affairs, 18 Aug. 2026
Police said Jackson was driving recklessly and evaded a Muscatine County Sheriff's Office deputy who attempted to stop his vehicle Friday evening in Muscatine.

— Meredith Deliso, ABC News, 17 Aug. 2026

Definition of evaded

Verb

However its advice was ignored, journalist Ralph Vartabedian revealed in a 2022 article for the New York Times.

— Dan Walters, Mercury News, 21 Aug. 2026
Dershowitz has said the rift continued after that encounter, telling The Atlantic that David no longer speaks to him and has ignored him during subsequent encounters.

— Angelique Brenes, PEOPLE, 21 Aug. 2026

Definition of ignored

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sidestep

sidestepped

sidestepping

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“Sidestepped.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sidestepped. Accessed 23 Aug. 2026.

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Synonyms of sidestepped

verb

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