1
as in to circumvent
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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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of sidestep
To sidestep the language issue, scientists of the era mostly published their work in classical Latin.
—
Nicholas Green, The Conversation, 3 June 2025
The court ruled on the issue after two groups of plaintiffs—businesses and states—sued the Trump administration, accusing the president of violating the United States Constitution by sidestepping Congress to impose the tariffs.
—Sonam Sheth, MSNBC Newsweek, 29 May 2025
Several ultimately stepped down following their testimony before Congress, including Harvard’s Claudine Gay, who apologized for lawyerly answers that sidestepped how protesters calling for genocide should be disciplined.
—David Sivak, The Washington Examiner, 29 May 2025
Laura Grimm, the acting administrator of the NOAA and a marine scientist, sidestepped specific questions about how budget cuts aimed at climate science would affect the organization’s work and highlighted the vital work of the agency to help communities prepare and save lives.
—Contessa Brewer, CNBC, 22 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for sidestep
Nicholas Green, The Conversation, 3 June 2025
The court ruled on the issue after two groups of plaintiffs—businesses and states—sued the Trump administration, accusing the president of violating the United States Constitution by sidestepping Congress to impose the tariffs.
—Sonam Sheth, MSNBC Newsweek, 29 May 2025
Several ultimately stepped down following their testimony before Congress, including Harvard’s Claudine Gay, who apologized for lawyerly answers that sidestepped how protesters calling for genocide should be disciplined.
—David Sivak, The Washington Examiner, 29 May 2025
Laura Grimm, the acting administrator of the NOAA and a marine scientist, sidestepped specific questions about how budget cuts aimed at climate science would affect the organization’s work and highlighted the vital work of the agency to help communities prepare and save lives.
—Contessa Brewer, CNBC, 22 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for sidestep
Recent Examples of Synonyms for sidestep
Verb
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Hidden in large container units with retractable roofs, the drones were designed to circumvent Russia’s sophisticated air defenses.—
Anna Mulrine Grobe,
Christian Science Monitor,
4 June 2025
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After an April report indicated that MSC’s founding Aponte family had considered separating the Panama ports from the deal altogether, the regulator publicly warned CK Hutchison against a split as a means to circumvent antitrust review.—
Glenn Taylor,
Sourcing Journal,
3 June 2025
Verb
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In weaving together these stories, Cuffy explores the varying shapes that grief, belief, and belonging can take.—Erin McMullen Buy Now: O Sinners!—
Andrew R. Chow,
Time,
6 June 2025
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Stone cut and wove plastic mats, industrial carpeting, and everyday fabrics into strange yet hypnotic composites for the floors and walls.—
Hannah Martin,
Architectural Digest,
6 June 2025
Verb
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Snow cowered in the back, avoiding eye contact when Kiersten tried reaching her hand out.—
Liz O'Connell,
MSNBC Newsweek,
6 June 2025
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But Eisner speculates that this may have festered within Ela over the ensuing years, thereby sparking her desire for vengeance on Forde—who may have confessed to his affair with Ela to avoid being prosecuted for the 1321 raid.—
ArsTechnica,
ArsTechnica,
6 June 2025
Verb
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Some kids have ducked under the rope line to sit in deep crevices in the base of the trunk.—
Brendan Quinn,
New York Times,
14 June 2025
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The witness ducked down and then looked up; Nichols was staring at the witness.—
Robert A. Cronkleton,
Kansas City Star,
11 June 2025
Verb
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If your privacy practices have been less than perfect in the past—and whose have not, given the vanishingly tiny odds of evading every form of digital data collection—additional information about you from over the years is likely available from hundreds of data brokers.—
Andy Greenberg,
Wired News,
16 June 2025
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Hundreds of Iranian missiles rained down across Israel beginning Saturday night, some of them evading the country's sophisticated defense systems.—
Rebecca Rosman,
NPR,
15 June 2025
Verb
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Caucus leadership, which typically opts to remain neutral in committee races, has dodged questions on whether age should play a role in selecting the next Oversight ranking member.—
Rachel Schilke,
The Washington Examiner,
5 June 2025
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The candidates often dodged direct answers to moderators’ questions and instead jostled with each other.—
Jared Gans,
The Hill,
5 June 2025
Verb
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As a result, even today, much of the funding aimed at solving Africa’s challenges bypasses African organizations entirely.—
Victoria Philips,
Forbes.com,
6 June 2025
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Aphids can give birth to nymphs, bypassing the egg stage.—
Markis Hill,
Kansas City Star,
6 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Sidestep.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sidestep. Accessed 20 Jun. 2025.
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