1
as in to weasel
to avoid giving a definite answer or position
politicians who try to pussyfoot around hot-button issues
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Recent Examples of pussyfoot
Several of these involve a furtive religious cult known as the Scars — its adherents have a way of pussyfooting through the forest and doing absolutely horrible things to nonbelievers.
—
Tom Gliatto, People.com, 12 Apr. 2025
Delivering the News Dear Delivering: Here’s how: Stop pussyfooting around the subject and be completely honest with your mother.
—Abigail Van Buren, Boston Herald, 8 Feb. 2025
No less than Werner Herzog remade Murnau’s masterpiece in 1979, starring Klaus Kinski as the bald-headed bloodsucker; rather than pussyfoot around the whole rip-off-or-not aspect, the former doubles down and names the character Count Dracula.
—David Fear, Rolling Stone, 23 Dec. 2024
The results of this pussyfooting around are mixed, for everyone involved.
—Benedict Cosgrove, Newsweek, 18 Dec. 2024
In an interview that aired on NBC News this week, DeSantis for the first time finally stopped pussyfooting around whether Trump won in 2020.
—Philip Elliott, Time, 8 Aug. 2023
Yet other people want to pussyfoot around.
—Ed Symkus, USA TODAY, 3 Nov. 2020
What a crazy, zany coincidence that Harden pussyfooted around the controversy set off by Morey’s tweet.
—Scott Ostler, SFChronicle.com, 12 Oct. 2019
Deputy Managing Editor Yesha Callahan is gonna be mad at this short-ass lede, but today there’s no need to pussyfoot around.
—Michael Harriot, The Root, 15 June 2018
Tom Gliatto, People.com, 12 Apr. 2025
Delivering the News Dear Delivering: Here’s how: Stop pussyfooting around the subject and be completely honest with your mother.
—Abigail Van Buren, Boston Herald, 8 Feb. 2025
No less than Werner Herzog remade Murnau’s masterpiece in 1979, starring Klaus Kinski as the bald-headed bloodsucker; rather than pussyfoot around the whole rip-off-or-not aspect, the former doubles down and names the character Count Dracula.
—David Fear, Rolling Stone, 23 Dec. 2024
The results of this pussyfooting around are mixed, for everyone involved.
—Benedict Cosgrove, Newsweek, 18 Dec. 2024
In an interview that aired on NBC News this week, DeSantis for the first time finally stopped pussyfooting around whether Trump won in 2020.
—Philip Elliott, Time, 8 Aug. 2023
Yet other people want to pussyfoot around.
—Ed Symkus, USA TODAY, 3 Nov. 2020
What a crazy, zany coincidence that Harden pussyfooted around the controversy set off by Morey’s tweet.
—Scott Ostler, SFChronicle.com, 12 Oct. 2019
Deputy Managing Editor Yesha Callahan is gonna be mad at this short-ass lede, but today there’s no need to pussyfoot around.
—Michael Harriot, The Root, 15 June 2018
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pussyfoot
Verb
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Trying to weasel things by providing additional levels is abhorrent.—
Lance Eliot,
Forbes,
20 Nov. 2024
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But when Douglas doesn’t invite her to the business dinner, the show suddenly takes a turn into wacky sitcom territory, with Maxine trying to weasel her way into Douglas’s business to meet and invite the Prince to the Beach Ball.—
Tom Smyth,
Vulture,
10 Apr. 2024
Verb
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In the rocky and sandy terrain of the Arabian peninsula, a dangerous creature lurks just below the surface in a burrow.—
Irene Wright,
Miami Herald,
18 Apr. 2025
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The Furry Detectives: Unmasking A Monster, The Furry Detectives: Unmasking A Monster, a four-part documentary, unpacks a horrifying conspiracy of animal abuse lurking beneath the Furry Fandom’s playful exterior.—
Jill Goldsmith,
Deadline,
17 Apr. 2025
Verb
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The track reenters the Official Singles Sales chart at No. 2 — a brand new high — and also sneaks back onto the main Official Singles list, landing at No. 44.—
Hugh McIntyre,
Forbes.com,
23 Apr. 2025
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Brentford are sneaking up on the rails, a further two points adrift of Hurzeler’s side.—
Andy Naylor,
New York Times,
23 Apr. 2025
Verb
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Such original approaches to mouse controls could be Nintendo's secret weapon on the Switch 2, and developers are already coming up with more inventive uses for the tech than simply bringing a cursor to console gaming.—
Matt Kamen,
Wired News,
20 Apr. 2025
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The user mouses over the arm, and moves it over to the location where a pick will occur.—
Evan Ackerman,
IEEE Spectrum,
29 June 2018
Verb
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The stick itself also glides onto the skin very easily without slipping or getting caught in drier or harder-to-reach areas of the face.—
Danielle Jackson,
Glamour,
25 Apr. 2025
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The only ranking where the track slips is the Official Singles Sales chart.—
Hugh McIntyre,
Forbes.com,
25 Apr. 2025
Verb
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The water pressure then causes the vehicle to rise and slide on a thin layer of water between the tires and the road, making the driver lose control.—
KANSAS CITY STAR WEATHER BOT,
Kansas City Star,
29 Apr. 2025
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Renner was crushed under a 14,000-pound snowplow after trying to prevent the machine from sliding toward his nephew.—
Clare Mulroy,
USA Today,
29 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Pussyfoot.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pussyfoot. Accessed 3 May. 2025.
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