circumvent
Americanverb (used with object)
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to go around or bypass.
to circumvent the lake;
to circumvent the real issues.
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to avoid (defeat, failure, unpleasantness, etc.) by artfulness or deception; avoid by anticipating or outwitting.
He circumvented capture by anticipating their movements.
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to surround or encompass, as by stratagem; entrap.
to circumvent a body of enemy troops.
verb
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to evade or go around
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to outwit
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to encircle (an enemy) so as to intercept or capture
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
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circumventernoun
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circumventionnoun
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circumventornoun
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circumventiveadjective
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uncircumventedadjective
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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circumventsimple
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circumventssimple
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have circumventedperfect
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has circumventedperfect
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am circumventingprogressive
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are circumventingprogressive
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is circumventingprogressive
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have been circumventingperfect progressive
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has been circumventingperfect progressive
Past
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circumventedsimple
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had circumventedperfect
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was circumventingprogressive
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were circumventingprogressive
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had been circumventingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of circumvent
First recorded in 1545–55; from Latin circumventus (past participle of circumvenīre “to come around, surround, oppress, defraud”), equivalent to circum- circum- + ven(īre) “to come” + -tus past participle suffix
Explanation
To circumvent is to avoid. Someone who trains elephants but somehow gets out of picking up after them has found a way to circumvent the cleaning of the circus tent. Circum in Latin means "around" or "round about," and vent- comes from venire, "to come," but painting a picture from these two parts of the word helps. Picture someone circling around a barrier instead of climbing over it. That's what you do when you circumvent. You find a smart way around rules or barriers, or avoid doing something unpleasant altogether.
Vocabulary lists containing circumvent
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Around and Around: Circum
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
VW later admitted the defeat devices had been used deliberately to circumvent emissions tests in the US, and had been fitted to some 11 million cars worldwide.
From BBC ● Jul. 10, 2026
That decision could also open the floodgates, with schools using those entities to circumvent the cap.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 10, 2026
In return, analysts say North Korea is receiving financial aid, military technology, food and energy, helping it circumvent sanctions over its banned nuclear programmes.
From Barron's ● Jun. 5, 2026
The report said the goal seemed to be to circumvent a $2,500 cap and add a $480 gratuity, or 20%, in a place where tipping isn’t customary.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 5, 2026
Hera kept silence then, but her thoughts were busy as to how she might help the Greeks and circumvent Zeus.
From "Mythology: Timeless Tales of Gods and Heroes" by Edith Hamilton
But Carvajal-Muñoz’s attorneys are testing a legal theory that circumvents these roadblocks by suing officers under state law for violations of his constitutional rights.
From Slate ● Apr. 15, 2026
“From Internet memes to late-night comedians, from cartoons to the plays and poems as old as organized government itself — Political Satire circumvents traditional gatekeepers & helps hold those in power accountable,” he continued.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 2, 2025
Wen's case shines a light on the various ways in which North Korea circumvents international sanctions on its arms trade.
From BBC ● Aug. 20, 2025
This advancement not only circumvents the need for high-purity CO2 but also efficiently repurposes a prevalent waste product, marking a stride towards closing the carbon cycle and reducing reliance on fossil fuels.
From Science Daily ● May 14, 2024
Perhaps tomorrow someone will invent a theory consistent with everything else we know that circumvents paradoxes on such matters as simultaneity, avoids privileged reference frames and still permits travel faster than light.
From "Cosmos" by Carl Sagan
With swiftly circumvented filters and no discernment, LLMs deliver “expertise” even when they shouldn’t.
From Slate ● Jun. 19, 2026
While communication between candidate campaigns and independent committees is forbidden, these rules are commonly circumvented using legal but obvious methods.
From Los Angeles Times ● May 26, 2026
Some campaigners and experts have offered their support for a ban, but others have warned the restrictions could be circumvented or push children to darker corners of the internet.
From BBC ● Mar. 25, 2026
Industry experts and research suggest a cap could reduce credit access for risky borrowers and may be circumvented by other fees.
From Barron's ● Jan. 10, 2026
The plot circumvented, Washkar went to work eliminating any remaining objections to his accession.
From "1491" by Charles C. Mann
These laws restrict data collection and use to the purposes of gathering the data, and they prevent companies from circumventing these limits.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 23, 2026
"This indictment should send a message to all ship operators that circumventing safety requirements and breaking US laws will not be tolerated," Paul said.
From Barron's ● May 12, 2026
The arrangement could be considered circumventing the NBA salary cap, a serious violation of league rules.
From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 23, 2026
Yet circumventing a route like the Strait of Hormuz requires sweeping defenses and new pipelines that would take years to build.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Mar. 22, 2026
And by catching and circumventing threatening behavior early, there was a good chance of diverting those students toward a more positive path.
From "Time Bomb" by Joelle Charbonneau
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.
