1
as in to bypass
to avoid having to comply with (something) especially through cleverness
employees who try to circumvent the company's dress code
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to avoid
to avoid by going around
circumvented the traffic jam by taking an alternate route
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in to traverse
to travel completely around
most casual joggers will be able to circumvent the reservoir without too much of a strain
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of circumvent
If the objective is to reconsider capital punishment in America, that debate belongs in Congress and the courts, not in last-minute executive decrees that circumvent the very system designed to weigh such questions.
—
Yaakov Katz, Newsweek, 7 Feb. 2025
The legal battle gained further attention when, on February 7, a federal appeals court ruled on a procedural matter in the investigation, which had initially considered whether McMahon had circumvented WWE's internal controls to hide these allegations.
—Dan Perry, Newsweek, 13 Feb. 2025
Other countries under sanctions – Iran, North Korea, and Venezuela – have previously employed clandestine shipping networks to circumvent international scrutiny and sanctions.
—Dominique Soguel, The Christian Science Monitor, 12 Feb. 2025
The East Hartford congressman spoke for several minutes, arguing that President Donald Trump and others in the administration are seeking to circumvent accountability through both Congress and the courts.
—Lisa Hagen, Hartford Courant, 11 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for circumvent
Yaakov Katz, Newsweek, 7 Feb. 2025
The legal battle gained further attention when, on February 7, a federal appeals court ruled on a procedural matter in the investigation, which had initially considered whether McMahon had circumvented WWE's internal controls to hide these allegations.
—Dan Perry, Newsweek, 13 Feb. 2025
Other countries under sanctions – Iran, North Korea, and Venezuela – have previously employed clandestine shipping networks to circumvent international scrutiny and sanctions.
—Dominique Soguel, The Christian Science Monitor, 12 Feb. 2025
The East Hartford congressman spoke for several minutes, arguing that President Donald Trump and others in the administration are seeking to circumvent accountability through both Congress and the courts.
—Lisa Hagen, Hartford Courant, 11 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for circumvent
Recent Examples of Synonyms for circumvent
Verb
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This becomes even more critical as threat actors find ways to bypass or steal 2FA codes, setting fire to our safety nets.—
Zak Doffman,
Forbes,
2 Mar. 2025
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The measure, which allows Republicans to bypass the filibuster, was adopted 52-48, largely along party lines.—
Rachel Schilke,
Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government,
26 Feb. 2025
Verb
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Unfortunately, Hartford continues to avoid the heavy lifting that is required to have a successful system.—
Vincent Turley,
Hartford Courant,
2 Mar. 2025
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Deer can wreak havoc on your garden so growing deer-resistant groundcovers can be a good way to avoid browsing damage.—
Rita Pelczar,
Better Homes & Gardens,
2 Mar. 2025
Verb
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On 2/25, agents traversed rugged desert terrain under the cover of darkness, positioning themselves for a surprise take down at sunrise.—
Gordon G. Chang,
Newsweek,
3 Mar. 2025
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The jumping could come in handy for tasks such as traversing gaps, going over obstacles, or even hitting lighter obstacles to move them out of its way.—
Ben Coxworth,
New Atlas,
28 Feb. 2025
Verb
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Colt escapes by initially driving a speedboat while facing away from the controls, evades his pursuers by zigging and zagging through the river, and then purposefully drives his boat into a floating pontoon, faking his own death via the gigantic explosion.—
Roxana Hadadi,
Vulture,
27 Feb. 2025
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Now, however, DHS states that the previous rules hindered law enforcement efforts by creating sites where people without legal status could evade capture.—
Jackie Fortiér,
NPR,
25 Feb. 2025
Verb
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Bottom line, the bulls still have the upper hand—uptrend intact, earnings solid—but the bears are circling and getting stronger.—
Adam Sarhan,
Forbes,
21 Feb. 2025
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The marker Christo used to circle the islands on black-and-white images was pink.—
Amanda Rosa,
Miami Herald,
21 Feb. 2025
Verb
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The 48 men were arrested by Thai authorities 11 years ago after crossing the border to Thailand in an attempt to escape persecution in China and had been kept in detention and legal limbo ever since.—
Kocha Olarn,
CNN,
27 Feb. 2025
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But in 2023 she and her associate Jodi Hildebrandt were arrested for child abuse after one of Franke’s sons escaped from Hildebrandt’s home in Utah.—
Kathleen Walsh,
Glamour,
27 Feb. 2025
Verb
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Other ska-adjacent U.K. bands—Madness, the Beat, the Selecter—made a beeline for 2 Tone, and the reverberations would eventually encircle the globe.—
Ian Penman,
Harper's Magazine,
19 Feb. 2025
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Although dark, thick liner encircled her lash line, her lipstick was a more muted, peach-toned nude.—
India Espy-Jones,
Essence,
14 Feb. 2025
Verb
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And no, not because Disney is ignoring him or passing him over.—
Paul Tassi,
Forbes,
1 Mar. 2025
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But in the 1990s, when social practice art was gaining traction within European museums (especially in the United Kingdom), most Latin American institutions were ignoring that development, which remained limited to underground networks.—
Fabiola Iza,
Artforum,
1 Mar. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Circumvent.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/circumvent. Accessed 9 Mar. 2025.
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