SIDESTEP (sidestepped, sidestepping)

Pronunciation (US):

 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)

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)

Meaning:

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

Classified under:

Verbs of telling, asking, ordering, singing

Synonyms:

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

Context examples:

He dodged the issue / she skirted the problem / They tend to evade their responsibilities / 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"):

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

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something