beat around the bush
CulturalExample Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
They weren’t the kind to beat around the bush.
From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 24, 2026
"I'm not going to beat around the bush... I was not prepared," she told fans during a Q&A, adding: "She's completely and utterly worth it all though. Every single hard moment!"
From BBC • Feb. 5, 2026
“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
I am not going to beat around the bush and say no because it represents so much to so many of us.”
From Seattle Times • Apr. 18, 2023
When Lee felt that enough time had passed he did not beat around the bush.
From "East of Eden" by John Steinbeck
![]()
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.