as in bypassing
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1
as in circumventing
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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Recent Examples of sidestepping
Isaac Chotiner,
New Yorker,
11 Mar. 2026
Dan Diamond,
Washington Post,
19 June 2026
The results indicate that officers were often sidestepping explicitly asking for search consent, in favor of veiled and passive language that was difficult for people to understand in real time.
—
Robert Salonga,
Mercury News,
17 June 2026
Not only will O'Neil's sidestepping of questions fuel the fire, but the circuit's next event on the calendar is not scheduled until July 23-26 in the United Kingdom, leaving ample time for reports and rumors to drum up even more uncertainty.
—
Mark Harris Outkick,
FOXNews.com,
9 June 2026
Surrounded by trees and mountain landscapes, the transparent structure delivers the atmosphere of an outdoor wedding while sidestepping many of the logistical headaches that come with weather-dependent venues.
—
Yelena Moroz Alpert,
Architectural Digest,
31 May 2026
And sidestepping tough topics could do just as much harm as tackling them, since deep conversations are important for the health of our relationships.
—
Lisa Pavia-Higel,
The Conversation,
27 May 2026
That pitch dovetails with SPAN’s latest smart devices aimed at helping grid operators manage growing electrical loads without costly power infrastructure upgrades—sidestepping the need to pass on infrastructure investment costs to customers through higher utility bills.
—
Jeremy Hsu,
ArsTechnica,
12 May 2026
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen’s has provisionally enacted the deal, effectively sidestepping the EU Parliament where the agreement is now being challenged by EU lawmakers at the bloc’s judiciary.
—
ABC News,
12 May 2026
In this case, critics argue, the township approved the project through a court settlement without formally changing the zoning—effectively sidestepping that part of the process.
—
Sharon Goldman,
Fortune,
6 May 2026
Noun
One was the very clear sidestepping of Palestinian sovereignty, and the second was the issue of Iran.
—
Isaac Chotiner,
New Yorker,
11 Mar. 2026
Verb
Critics say the administration is sidestepping a law that has shaped Washington’s skyline for more than a century.
—
Dan Diamond,
Washington Post,
19 June 2026
The results indicate that officers were often sidestepping explicitly asking for search consent, in favor of veiled and passive language that was difficult for people to understand in real time.
—
Robert Salonga,
Mercury News,
17 June 2026
Not only will O'Neil's sidestepping of questions fuel the fire, but the circuit's next event on the calendar is not scheduled until July 23-26 in the United Kingdom, leaving ample time for reports and rumors to drum up even more uncertainty.
—
Mark Harris Outkick,
FOXNews.com,
9 June 2026
Surrounded by trees and mountain landscapes, the transparent structure delivers the atmosphere of an outdoor wedding while sidestepping many of the logistical headaches that come with weather-dependent venues.
—
Yelena Moroz Alpert,
Architectural Digest,
31 May 2026
And sidestepping tough topics could do just as much harm as tackling them, since deep conversations are important for the health of our relationships.
—
Lisa Pavia-Higel,
The Conversation,
27 May 2026
That pitch dovetails with SPAN’s latest smart devices aimed at helping grid operators manage growing electrical loads without costly power infrastructure upgrades—sidestepping the need to pass on infrastructure investment costs to customers through higher utility bills.
—
Jeremy Hsu,
ArsTechnica,
12 May 2026
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen’s has provisionally enacted the deal, effectively sidestepping the EU Parliament where the agreement is now being challenged by EU lawmakers at the bloc’s judiciary.
—
ABC News,
12 May 2026
In this case, critics argue, the township approved the project through a court settlement without formally changing the zoning—effectively sidestepping that part of the process.
—
Sharon Goldman,
Fortune,
6 May 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for sidestepping
Noun
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Assistive listening studies report that bypassing room acoustics and delivering audio directly can improve signal‑to‑noise ratios by 15–20 dB, making announcements comprehensible and lectures clearer [8].
-
The facility, intended as the largest addition to the White House since the Oval Office, has sparked debate among historians, preservationists, commentators, and the public due to its demolition of the historic East Wing and the bypassing of standard preservation reviews.
Verb
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Some attorneys and advocates say that Florida’s family courts are essentially stripping parents of their rights to their children without any oversight, circumventing state law.
-
Aspiration co-founder Joseph Sanberg, who has cooperated with an NBA investigation into the Los Angeles Clippers possibly circumventing the salary cap via a no-show endorsement deal with Kawhi Leonard, was sentenced to 14 years in prison on Monday.
Verb
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Some of them wear face paint, camouflage uniforms, and ghillie suits — ducking in and out of foxholes cut into the ground.
-
Guests can walk along the nearby Rim Village Promenade before ducking into its lobby to enjoy the cozy fireplace, Mission furniture, and tree trunk columns.
Noun
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Yet by skirting and at times ignoring those rules, ride-sharing companies were able to acquire a critical mass of users in a short period of time.
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Experienced DIYers can also replace damaged deck boards, install skirting, or add a privacy screen wall.
Verb
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Base editing, the process used to make the changes, only nicks one strand of DNA, avoiding the major DNA errors that made CRISPR unsafe.
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So, avoiding extreme sleep deprivation can be helpful.
Verb
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Around 30 Maple Park Middle School students spent the last few weeks of the summer term weaving English language arts and STEM skills together to research the international soccer teams with base camps in Kansas City and create animatronics based on their findings.
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Some thirty years after weaving Replica, Schultz set to work on a rug based on the 9040 processor made at the Shiprock plant.
Noun
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Few Western democracies are willing to embrace the kind of highly restrictive model that would make circumvention nearly impossible.
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Less clear, however, is the status of Leonard amid the NBA’s investigation into potential salary-cap circumvention by the Clippers regarding Leonard.
Verb
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According to the lawsuit, the defendants profited from unlawful short-term rentals while evading requirements in city law designed to protect short-term renters, protect the quality of life for neighborhood residents and maintain a supply of affordable housing.
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Robinzine was charged with evading arrest, unlawful possession of a firearm and tempering with physical evidence.
Cite this Entry
“Sidestepping.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sidestepping. Accessed 28 Jun. 2026.
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