as in bypassing
Related Words
Relevance
Dissimilar Words
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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 sidestepping
Sahar Hashmi, Forbes.com, 25 Jan. 2026
Critics of the practice have long said the deals were a means of sidestepping antitrust scrutiny, since there is technically no acquisition for regulators to review.
—Alexei Oreskovic, Fortune, 17 Jan. 2026
Kristian has no trouble sidestepping the criticism.
—Literary Hub, 14 Jan. 2026
Demanding compliance from partners while sidestepping obligations at home weakens credibility.
—Diego Marroquin Bitar, San Diego Union-Tribune, 13 Jan. 2026
For this reason, sidestepping Machado, came as a shock to many.
—Javier Corrales, Time, 5 Jan. 2026
Zheng and his team took a different approach, sidestepping physical synchronization altogether.
—Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 23 Dec. 2025
The filing also accuses the FDA of sidestepping normal administrative practice.
—David Hudnall, Kansas City Star, 15 Dec. 2025
The ad campaign was widely mocked and scrutinized (by the left) or widely celebrated and defended (by the right), but Sweeney herself sat out much of the controversy, initially refusing to talk about it during press junkets for her movie and sidestepping questions in interviews.
—Daniel Kreps, Rolling Stone, 6 Dec. 2025
Verb
OpenAI has made a smart strategic move by sidestepping the interoperability nightmare and going directly to consumers, who are legally entitled to access their own health data under regulations such as the 21st Century Cures Act.
—Sahar Hashmi, Forbes.com, 25 Jan. 2026
Critics of the practice have long said the deals were a means of sidestepping antitrust scrutiny, since there is technically no acquisition for regulators to review.
—Alexei Oreskovic, Fortune, 17 Jan. 2026
Kristian has no trouble sidestepping the criticism.
—Literary Hub, 14 Jan. 2026
Demanding compliance from partners while sidestepping obligations at home weakens credibility.
—Diego Marroquin Bitar, San Diego Union-Tribune, 13 Jan. 2026
For this reason, sidestepping Machado, came as a shock to many.
—Javier Corrales, Time, 5 Jan. 2026
Zheng and his team took a different approach, sidestepping physical synchronization altogether.
—Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 23 Dec. 2025
The filing also accuses the FDA of sidestepping normal administrative practice.
—David Hudnall, Kansas City Star, 15 Dec. 2025
The ad campaign was widely mocked and scrutinized (by the left) or widely celebrated and defended (by the right), but Sweeney herself sat out much of the controversy, initially refusing to talk about it during press junkets for her movie and sidestepping questions in interviews.
—Daniel Kreps, Rolling Stone, 6 Dec. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for sidestepping
Noun
-
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.—
Associate News Editor,
MSNBC Newsweek,
5 Dec. 2025
-
Some strains are now capable of identifying and bypassing backups, targeting critical systems first and spreading laterally across devices and networks.—
Ro'ee Margalit,
Forbes.com,
15 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
But that could be a mistake worth circumventing this January.—
Matt Richardson,
CBS News,
22 Jan. 2026
-
The third danger concerns that lack of accountability involved in circumventing Congress.—
Kent Jones,
The Conversation,
17 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Conference-goers are often ducking in and out of the big ballrooms day and night and the lobby is nearly always abuzz with travelers coming and going.—
Lizbeth Scordo,
Condé Nast Traveler,
31 Jan. 2026
-
The father inspected one and left the other untouched before quickly ducking back inside, locking the door and securing a deadbolt.—
Alicia Victoria Lozano,
NBC news,
31 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
That’s evidenced by the GOP’s skirting of the issue.—
CNN.com,
Mercury News,
3 Oct. 2025
-
The Dominator 3, at its base a Ford F-350, features an armored shell and skirting designed to keep winds from lifting the vehicle; strong windows, equipment for tracking weather data and a hydraulic spike system used to anchor the vehicle to the ground.—
Nathan Pilling,
Kansas City Star,
5 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
The suspect was identified as 40-year-old Fabian Leon, who was later charged with simple battery and avoiding security measures, the outlet said.—
Bonny Chu,
FOXNews.com,
30 Jan. 2026
-
Lessons from 1,000 Deals — Price Pritchett A practitioner’s guide to avoiding integration missteps, based on patterns observed across hundreds of real-world transactions.—
Jennifer J. Fondrevay,
Forbes.com,
29 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
In the clip, Ollie Pulleyblank is seen weaving between stationary cars, offering food and drinks to drivers who had been stuck since early morning.—
Ashley Vega,
PEOPLE,
27 Jan. 2026
-
Hundreds of attendees pushed through the crowds, weaving and ducking to find entrances to vendor exhibits.—
Tim Corlett,
Forbes.com,
26 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
Last year, the American Academy of Pediatrics sued the Department of Health and Human Services for a similar circumvention of protocols when changing Covid-19 recommendations.—
Bloomberg Opinion,
Twin Cities,
14 Jan. 2026
-
Although the United States’ economic war on Iran precludes massive economic improvements in the immediate future, the government can still combat corruption, enhance transparency, and curb the rent-seeking behavior that arises from sanctions circumvention.—
Mohammad Javad Zarif,
Foreign Affairs,
22 Dec. 2025
Verb
-
Shares of the Turkish state lender Halk Bankasi AS tumbled on Wednesday following the adjournment of a court status conference in the US related to charges of evading sanctions on Iran.—
Beril Akman,
Bloomberg,
28 Jan. 2026
-
In July 2025, Mouton was reportedly arrested and charged with felon in possession of a weapon, evading arrest and drug possession.—
Julia Bonavita,
FOXNews.com,
28 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Sidestepping.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sidestepping. Accessed 1 Feb. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
