beat around the bush

Cultural  

1. To avoid getting to the point of an issue: “Your worries have nothing to do with the new proposal. Stop beating around the bush, and cast your vote!”

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beat around the bush Idioms  

1. Also, beat about the bush. Approach indirectly, in a roundabout way, or too cautiously. For example, Stop beating around the bush—get to the point. This term, first recorded in 1572, originally may have alluded to beating the bushes for game.

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

beat around the bush

They weren’t the kind to beat around the bush.

From Los Angeles Times ● Feb. 24, 2026

"The next few games are about him, I'm not going to beat around the bush," Coady said.

From BBC ● May 3, 2025

“I’m not going to beat around the bush, man: We want to win the Super Bowl,” wide receiver Garrett Wilson said.

From Washington Times ● Jul. 21, 2023

Czerny didn’t beat around the bush as he addressed a weeklong meeting in Rome of the global confederation of 162 national Caritas national chapters, the first since Francis’ intervention.

From Seattle Times ● May 12, 2023

When Lee felt that enough time had passed he did not beat around the bush.

From "East of Eden" by John Steinbeck

Related Words

• baffle
• confound
• dodge
• evade
• flee
• foil
• frustrate
• outrun
• outwit
• puzzle
• shun
• stall
• stonewall
• thwart