footwork

noun

foot·​work ˈfu̇t-ˌwərk 

1

: the activity of moving from place to place

the investigation entailed a lot of footwork

2

: the management of the feet (as in boxing)

also : the work done with them

3

: active and adroit maneuvering to achieve an end

fancy political footwork

Examples of footwork in a Sentence

The investigation required a lot of footwork.

He used quick footwork to dodge his opponent.

The tango involves some fancy footwork.

He knows that getting enough votes for the proposal is going to require some fancy political footwork.

Recent Examples on the Web

Trending on Billboard What comes next is a clinic in classic Jackson, with the singer popping, locking and skittering across the club’s floor while executing some of his signature spins and fancy footwork while breaking hearts and deftly dispatching would-be assassins with his signature elan. —Gil Kaufman, Billboard, 30 Oct. 2024

Oh, and … Bo knows footwork: Prior to Sunday, Bo Nix’s footwork was the problem keeping him from consistently throwing the ball down the field accurately. —Matt Schubert, The Denver Post, 27 Oct. 2024

But if the gloves look too big and his footwork feels too slow, that just underlines how past-his-peak Esteban is. —Daniel Fienberg, The Hollywood Reporter, 9 Oct. 2024

The main stage set looked like the rooftop of a theater and allowed Rauw Alejandro a patch of space to scamper and showcase his graceful footwork. —Melissa Ruggieri, USA TODAY, 12 Sep. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1859, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

footwork

noun

foot·​work -ˌwərk 

: the movement of the feet (as in boxing)