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circumvent

[ sur-kuhm-vent, sur-kuhm-vent ]
/ ˌsɜr kəmˈvɛnt, ˈsɜr kəmˌvɛnt /
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See synonyms for: circumvent / circumvented / circumvention on Thesaurus.com

verb (used with object)
to go around or bypass: to circumvent the lake;to circumvent the real issues.
to avoid (defeat, failure, unpleasantness, etc.) by artfulness or deception; avoid by anticipating or outwitting: He circumvented capture by anticipating their movements.
to surround or encompass, as by stratagem; entrap: to circumvent a body of enemy troops.
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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

OTHER WORDS FROM circumvent

cir·cum·vent·er, cir·cum·ven·tor, nouncir·cum·ven·tion, nouncir·cum·ven·tive, adjectiveun·cir·cum·vent·ed, adjective
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use circumvent in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for circumvent

circumvent
/ (ˌsɜːkəmˈvɛnt) /

verb (tr)
to evade or go around
to outwit
to encircle (an enemy) so as to intercept or capture

Derived forms of circumvent

circumventer or circumventor, nouncircumvention, nouncircumventive, adjective

Word Origin for circumvent

C15: from Latin circumvenīre, from circum- + venīre to come
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
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