1
as in to weasel
to avoid giving a definite answer or position
politicians who try to pussyfoot around hot-button issues
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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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So if an extra (and questionable) ingredient weasels its way into the formula, and the supplement hits the market, there's not much the FDA can do besides send companies a warning letter to recall the supplement.—
Julia Forbes,
Wired News,
29 Aug. 2025
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Despite her best efforts, Keith, who is serving life in prison, tries to weasel his way back into her life.—
Jack Dunn,
Variety,
22 July 2025
Verb
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This quiz invites you to explore the darker corners of sci-fi literature, where monsters lurk not just in shadows, but in laboratories, alien worlds and post-apocalyptic wastelands.—
Kenna Hughes-Castleberry,
Space.com,
16 Sep. 2025
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Plus, a predatory stranger lurking on Roblox can’t DM their child on a landline.—
Stephanie Ganz,
Parents,
15 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Andrés Giménez was put on earth to cause misery to major league hitters looking to sneak ground balls through the infield.—
Jackson Roberts,
MSNBC Newsweek,
17 Sep. 2025
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Her previous instructor, Ramon Morones, used to sneak her into folklorico classes at San Jose City College.—
Iris Sanchez,
Mercury News,
16 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Keeping the keyboard and mouse close to avoid overreaching. Taking a brief movement or stretching break every 30 to 60 minutes.—
Mira Miller,
Verywell Health,
18 June 2025
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Transitioning to mouse mode by simply placing the controller on a table made a potentially confusing input so much more intuitive.—
Jordan Minor,
PC Magazine,
5 June 2025
Verb
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The junior wideout slipped loose into the secondary, breaking free for a 51-yard touchdown reception as the Harbormen cut things to a 21-13 game.—
Brendan Connelly,
Boston Herald,
20 Sep. 2025
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Conducted over the course of several months, a Microsoft postmortem on the Storm-0558 attack revealed several errors that led to the Chinese group slipping past cloud defenses.—
Kevin Purdy,
ArsTechnica,
20 Sep. 2025
Verb
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His hand, protectively ensconced in a sliding mitt, touched the bag before the tag.—
Gabrielle Starr,
Boston Herald,
17 Sep. 2025
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Something, perhaps, based upon a sliding 63-point scale of credits and debits.—
Robert F. Moss,
Southern Living,
17 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Pussyfoot.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pussyfoot. Accessed 22 Sep. 2025.
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