SIDESTEP (sidestepped, sidestepping)

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

IPA (US):

Irregular inflected forms: sidestepped    , sidestepping   

 Dictionary entry overview: What does sidestep mean? 

• SIDESTEP (noun)
  The noun SIDESTEP has 1 sense:

1. a step to one side (as in boxing or dancing)

  Familiarity information: SIDESTEP used as a noun is very rare.

• SIDESTEP (verb)
  The verb SIDESTEP has 1 sense:

1. avoid or try to avoid fulfilling, answering, or performing (duties, questions, or issues)

  Familiarity information: SIDESTEP used as a verb is very rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• SIDESTEP (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

A step to one side (as in boxing or dancing)

Classified under:

Nouns denoting acts or actions

Hypernyms ("sidestep" is a kind of...):

step (the act of changing location by raising the foot and setting it down)

Domain category:

dance; dancing; saltation; terpsichore (taking a series of rhythmical steps (and movements) in time to music)

boxing; fisticuffs; pugilism (fighting with the fists)

• SIDESTEP (verb)

Present simple: I / you / we / they sidestep    ... he / she / it sidesteps   
Past simple: sidestepped   
Past participle: sidestepped   
-ing form: sidestepping   

Sense 1

Meaning:

Avoid or try to avoid fulfilling, answering, or performing (duties, questions, or issues)

Classified under:

Verbs of telling, asking, ordering, singing

Synonyms:

circumvent; dodge; duck; elude; evade; fudge; hedge; parry; put off; sidestep; skirt

Context example:

he evaded the questions skillfully

Hypernyms (to "sidestep" is one way to...):

avoid (stay clear from; keep away from; keep out of the way of someone or something)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "sidestep"):

beg (dodge, avoid answering, or take for granted)

quibble (evade the truth of a point or question by raising irrelevant objections)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something

 Context examples 

A way to sidestep this problem is to examine the Moon.

(Moon Data Sheds Light on Earth’s Asteroid Impact History, NASA)