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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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of pussyfoot
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
No pussyfooting around here: Sell-offs are painful.
—Anna-Louise Jackson, latimes.com, 9 Feb. 2018
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
No pussyfooting around here: Sell-offs are painful.
—Anna-Louise Jackson, latimes.com, 9 Feb. 2018
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pussyfoot
Verb
-
Trying to weasel things by providing additional levels is abhorrent.—
Lance Eliot,
Forbes,
20 Nov. 2024
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But when Douglas doesn’t invite her to the business dinner, the show suddenly takes a turn into wacky sitcom territory, with Maxine trying to weasel her way into Douglas’s business to meet and invite the Prince to the Beach Ball.—
Tom Smyth,
Vulture,
10 Apr. 2024
Verb
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New York City is known for its towering skyscrapers and bustling streets, but lurking beneath the glitz and glamour of the city that never sleeps are 3 million resilient rats that have cemented their place as native New Yorkers.—
Sarah Baniak,
ABC News,
12 Feb. 2025
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As her body weakens, an alien Sentinel lurks outside their home, drawing nearer and nearer as Greta takes her final breaths.—
Andreas Wiseman,
Deadline,
11 Feb. 2025
Verb
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Outside of Aspen, only Vail managed to sneak a home onto the state’s top 10 list.—
Aldo Svaldi,
The Denver Post,
21 Feb. 2025
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Looking Ahead: The Mountaineers played two tight battles this week, falling at Baylor in OT over the weekend before sneaking by Cincinnati at home.—
Jim Root,
The Athletic,
20 Feb. 2025
Verb
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Cooking Salmon With Avocado and Cilantro Salad Jan. 14, 2025 If those don’t appeal, mouse your way over to New York Times Cooking and make your own list.—
Sam Sifton,
New York Times,
19 Jan. 2025
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The click-through rate, industry-wide, is less than 1 percent—and chalk some of that up to mouse error and click fraud.—
IEEE Spectrum,
IEEE Spectrum,
31 May 2011
Verb
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Its follow-up, the group’s second full-length, declines even further, slipping from No. 21 to No. 33. Follow me on Twitter.—
Hugh McIntyre,
Forbes,
26 Feb. 2025
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The company’s revenue slipped 4% last quarter and its income dropped 10%, according to Debtwire, a financial services publication.—
Nathaniel Meyersohn,
CNN,
26 Feb. 2025
Verb
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In February, the 30-stock Dow slid 2.3% while the tech-heavy Nasdaq lost about 5%.—
Sarah Min,
CNBC,
28 Feb. 2025
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The living spaces get plenty of light from large windows and sliding glass doors at the front of the home.—
Genevieve Cepeda,
Travel + Leisure,
28 Feb. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Pussyfoot.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pussyfoot. Accessed 3 Mar. 2025.
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