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
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
Meetings between Modi and Rajapaksa in subsequent years focused on security and counterterrorism strategy, sidestepping human rights issues.
—Muhib Rahman, Foreign Affairs, 12 Nov. 2025
Trump relied on the 1977 International Emergency Economic Powers Act to impose his tariffs, sidestepping Congress in the process.
—Alexandra Hutzler, ABC News, 3 Nov. 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
Verb
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
Meetings between Modi and Rajapaksa in subsequent years focused on security and counterterrorism strategy, sidestepping human rights issues.
—Muhib Rahman, Foreign Affairs, 12 Nov. 2025
Trump relied on the 1977 International Emergency Economic Powers Act to impose his tariffs, sidestepping Congress in the process.
—Alexandra Hutzler, ABC News, 3 Nov. 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
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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Johnston’s administration, which says the cameras have been a game changer for fighting crime, agreed to a no-cost extension of Flock’s contract in October, circumventing a vote from the council.—
Elliott Wenzler,
Denver Post,
8 Nov. 2025
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Yet the group is clearly circumventing the restrictions.—
Ed Caesar,
New Yorker,
20 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Midday was for ducking into a family-run lodge for miso ramen or chicken katsu, the kind of spot where the windows fog up and the air smells of rich broth.—
Denny Lee,
Travel + Leisure,
15 Dec. 2025
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Admittedly, there would be no upside in ducking the question.—
Rick Burton,
Sportico.com,
13 Dec. 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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Managing heartburn is more effective by eating smaller portions and avoiding late night meals.—
Maggie O'Neill,
Verywell Health,
8 Jan. 2026
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Green Bay Packers quarterback Jordan Love has done a great job of avoiding interceptions throughout this season.—
Steve Megargee,
Twin Cities,
8 Jan. 2026
Verb
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The debate over lasting solutions reveals the complexity of how criminal organizations have grown so powerful, weaving themselves into nearly every layer of Brazilian society over time.—
Alessandra Freitas,
CNN Money,
9 Nov. 2025
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What results is a familiar historical drama, weaving together many various characters in the buildup to the climactic courtroom showdown.—
Lindsey Bahr,
Boston Herald,
6 Nov. 2025
Noun
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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
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The law prohibits the circumvention of security measures used online by a ticket issuer.—
Ted Johnson,
Deadline,
20 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Prokop faces four misdemeanor charges, including one count of a violation of bond — protective order, one count of evading arrest or detention and two counts of resisting arrest, search or transportation.—
Charna Flam,
PEOPLE,
10 Jan. 2026
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Authorities told Fox News Digital Prokop faces four misdemeanor charges — one count of violation of bond or protective order, one count of evading arrest or detention and two counts of resisting arrest, search or transportation.—
Stephanie Giang-Paunon,
FOXNews.com,
10 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Sidestepping.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sidestepping. Accessed 12 Jan. 2026.
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