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
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of sidestep
The ensuing outcry — the latest in a years-long debate in New York over the government’s role in regulating religious schools — prompted Gov. Hochul and the Legislature to sidestep the Education Department and give schools more ways and time to come into compliance.
—
Cayla Bamberger, New York Daily News, 21 July 2025
Workarounds allow teams to sidestep obstacles while continuing to move a task forward.
—Novena Riojas, Forbes.com, 17 July 2025
Critics argue the administration is sidestepping its earlier promises of transparency, especially as Bondi continues to avoid questions about the decision.
—Amanda Castro, MSNBC Newsweek, 18 July 2025
The Chinese government sidestepped a question about the status of deal talks on Monday.
—Clare Duffy, CNN Money, 9 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for sidestep
Cayla Bamberger, New York Daily News, 21 July 2025
Workarounds allow teams to sidestep obstacles while continuing to move a task forward.
—Novena Riojas, Forbes.com, 17 July 2025
Critics argue the administration is sidestepping its earlier promises of transparency, especially as Bondi continues to avoid questions about the decision.
—Amanda Castro, MSNBC Newsweek, 18 July 2025
The Chinese government sidestepped a question about the status of deal talks on Monday.
—Clare Duffy, CNN Money, 9 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for sidestep
Recent Examples of Synonyms for sidestep
Verb
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The idea is to circumvent the lengthy process of developers and IP-owners finding one another and thrashing out a deal.—
Stewart Clarke,
Deadline,
15 July 2025
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The nationwide experience with direct democracy and reproductive freedom since the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade highlights the impact of the initiative process to check a state’s ability to circumvent the political will of the people.—
Mark Dorosin,
The Orlando Sentinel,
9 July 2025
Verb
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Gran Sasso National Park has trails that weave through medieval villages, crumbling castles, and valleys where wild horses still roam.—
Travel + Leisure Editors,
Travel + Leisure,
23 July 2025
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These are pre-shrunk and woven from long-staple fibers for buttery softness.—
Yelena Moroz Alpert,
Architectural Digest,
22 July 2025
Verb
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Close the blinds and curtains on sun-facing windows to block the sun's rays and avoid unwanted heat.—
Alexis Simmerman,
Austin American Statesman,
25 July 2025
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In his exit memo, Bennett urged the commission to avoid micromanaging the negotiation process and instead focus on big-picture policy, public engagement and trust-building.—
Kelly Davis,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
24 July 2025
Verb
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No need to duck the head toward the high point of the door frame.—
Mark Ewing,
Forbes.com,
21 July 2025
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The woman immediately covered her face and turned away from the camera, while a stunned Byron ducked down and exited the frame.—
Stephanie Nolasco,
FOXNews.com,
21 July 2025
Verb
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According to one speaker, removing those guardrails and creating a dedicated non-public LLM can be an effective way to create malware and devise techniques for evading antivirus detection.—
Neil J. Rubenking,
PC Magazine,
1 Aug. 2025
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The rivers and waterways of Klong Root are seen in the penultimate scenes of Jurassic World Rebirth, as protagonists Dr. Henry Loomis (Jonathan Bailey) and Zora Bennett (Scarlett Johansson) attempt to evade dinosaurs by paddling downriver.—
Rachel Cormack,
Robb Report,
29 July 2025
Verb
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Goodfellas has acquired world sales rights for Iranian director Ali Asgari’s satire Divine Comedy, following a filmmaker’s mission to dodge censorship, ahead of its world premiere in Venice’s Orizzonti sidebar.—
Melanie Goodfellow,
Deadline,
25 July 2025
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Phase variation like this is normally seen in pathogens like Salmonella and E. coli to dodge interception by immune cells or antibiotics.—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
23 July 2025
Verb
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This means that a single pill could have a long-lasting fat-burn effect, bypassing the need for a daily or even weekly doses.—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
23 July 2025
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These include allowing developers to tell their users about cheaper alternatives and bypass Apple's in-app payment system.—
Arjun Kharpal,
CNBC,
23 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Sidestep.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sidestep. Accessed 7 Aug. 2025.
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