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
Sam Saideman, Rolling Stone, 28 Oct. 2025
These Standard Model interactions would have heated the inflating universe, sidestepping the complication of needing a subsequent reheating phase.
—Stephanie Pappas, Scientific American, 27 Oct. 2025
The dramatization of one of the darkest chapters in American crime history has drawn plaudits for sidestepping easy sensationalism about the Chicago contractor and amateur clown who murdered 33 boys in the 1970s, burying them in a crawl space beneath his house.
—Seth Abramovitch, HollywoodReporter, 21 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
The key is preparing before problems strikes, or sidestepping the problem by finding alternate transportation when possible.
—Christopher Elliott, USA Today, 29 Sep. 2025
Washington has pressured Mexico to crack down on Chinese imports over allegations that goods are being rerouted to the US, thus sidestepping American levies placed on Beijing.
—semafor.com, 29 Sep. 2025
By sidestepping the fragile transfer process and enabling direct fabrication on liquid, Xu’s method could transform how scientists design lightweight, adaptable technologies across multiple fields.
—Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 26 Sep. 2025
Coliseum officials did weigh the possibility of sidestepping the permitting issue altogether — or at least letting the purchasers worry about it.
—Shomik Mukherjee, Mercury News, 20 Sep. 2025
Verb
Community Over Customers The most powerful marketing machine today is sidestepping a reliance on reaching your own audience via algorithms.
—Sam Saideman, Rolling Stone, 28 Oct. 2025
These Standard Model interactions would have heated the inflating universe, sidestepping the complication of needing a subsequent reheating phase.
—Stephanie Pappas, Scientific American, 27 Oct. 2025
The dramatization of one of the darkest chapters in American crime history has drawn plaudits for sidestepping easy sensationalism about the Chicago contractor and amateur clown who murdered 33 boys in the 1970s, burying them in a crawl space beneath his house.
—Seth Abramovitch, HollywoodReporter, 21 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
The key is preparing before problems strikes, or sidestepping the problem by finding alternate transportation when possible.
—Christopher Elliott, USA Today, 29 Sep. 2025
Washington has pressured Mexico to crack down on Chinese imports over allegations that goods are being rerouted to the US, thus sidestepping American levies placed on Beijing.
—semafor.com, 29 Sep. 2025
By sidestepping the fragile transfer process and enabling direct fabrication on liquid, Xu’s method could transform how scientists design lightweight, adaptable technologies across multiple fields.
—Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 26 Sep. 2025
Coliseum officials did weigh the possibility of sidestepping the permitting issue altogether — or at least letting the purchasers worry about it.
—Shomik Mukherjee, Mercury News, 20 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for sidestepping
Noun
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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
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Yet the group is clearly circumventing the restrictions.—
Ed Caesar,
New Yorker,
20 Oct. 2025
-
Panahi, along with other up-and-coming filmmakers, began circumventing the official channels, sending one version of his films’ scripts to government censors and filming another.—
Roxana Hadadi,
Vulture,
14 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
For a moment, Smith became overwhelmed, ducking to the side of the pillar while wiping tears away.—
Nick Kosmider,
New York Times,
19 Oct. 2025
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While on The Tonight Show, Swift appeared shy when discussing the song’s lyrics, ducking her head down as the house band the Roots began playing a sensual tune.—
Emlyn Travis,
Entertainment Weekly,
7 Oct. 2025
Noun
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That’s evidenced by the GOP’s skirting of the issue.—
CNN.com,
Mercury News,
3 Oct. 2025
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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
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These risks have prompted the United States, China, and other spacefaring nations to develop advanced systems for tracking, avoiding, and potentially removing orbital debris.—
Micah McCartney,
MSNBC Newsweek,
6 Nov. 2025
-
Maximize calcium absorption by pairing it with vitamin D, healthy fats, and proper timing, while avoiding absorption blockers such as high-oxalate foods and excessive caffeine.—
Trang Tran,
Verywell Health,
5 Nov. 2025
Verb
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Astronomers have unveiled the largest low-frequency radio color image of the Milky Way ever created, offering a sprawling cosmic panorama that reveals supernova remnants, stellar nurseries, pulsars and the intricate glow of gas and dust weaving through our galaxy’s heart.—
Samantha Mathewson,
Space.com,
31 Oct. 2025
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And while that's true, the show is also its own beast, deviating greatly from King's story by weaving in military intrigue, spycraft, and Native American mythology.—
Randall Colburn,
Entertainment Weekly,
31 Oct. 2025
Noun
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The law prohibits the circumvention of security measures used online by a ticket issuer.—
Ted Johnson,
Deadline,
20 Oct. 2025
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Sora’s release, and the rapid circumvention of its authentication mechanisms, is a reminder that society is unprepared for the next wave of increasingly realistic, personalized deepfakes.—
Nikita Ostrovsky,
Time,
20 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Observers suggest that the test increases pressure on the United States and NATO to reconsider current policies and adapt to the introduction of underwater nuclear drones capable of evading ballistic missile shields.—
Amanda Castro,
MSNBC Newsweek,
29 Oct. 2025
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He was previously deported in 2006, 2014 and 2016, yet managed to re-enter at an unknown time and place, evading inspection, admission or parole by immigration authorities.—
Bonny Chu,
FOXNews.com,
27 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Sidestepping.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sidestepping. Accessed 7 Nov. 2025.
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