dodge
verb (used with object)
to elude or evade by a sudden shift of position or by strategy.
dodge
1 American
[doj]
/ dɒdʒ /
verb (used with object)
-
dodges,
present (3rd person singular)
-
dodged,
past participle, past
-
dodging
present participle
-
to elude or evade by a sudden shift of position or by strategy.
to dodge a blow; to dodge a question.
- Synonyms:
- avoid
-
Photography. Also hold back. (in printing) to shade (an area of a print) from exposure for a period, while exposing the remainder of the print in order to lighten or eliminate the area (sometimes followed byout ).
verb (used without object)
-
dodges,
present (3rd person singular)
-
dodged,
past participle, past
-
dodging
present participle
-
to move aside or change position suddenly, as to avoid a blow or get behind something.
-
to use evasive methods; prevaricate.
When asked a direct question, he dodges.
- Synonyms:
- quibble, equivocate
noun
-
dodges
plural
-
a quick, evasive movement, as a sudden jump away to avoid a blow or the like.
-
an ingenious expedient or contrivance; shifty trick.
-
Slang. a business, profession, or occupation.
Dodge
2
American
[doj]
/ dɒdʒ /
noun
dodge
British
/ dɒdʒ /
verb
-
to avoid or attempt to avoid (a blow, discovery, etc), as by moving suddenly
-
to evade (questions, etc) by cleverness or trickery
-
(intr) Leisure:Bell-ringing to make a bell change places with its neighbour when sounding in successive changes
-
(tr) photog to lighten or darken (selected areas on a print) by manipulating the light from an enlarger
noun
-
a plan or expedient contrived to deceive
-
a sudden evasive or hiding movement
-
a clever contrivance
-
Leisure:Bell-ringing the act of dodging
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
-
dodgesimple
-
dodgessimple
-
have dodgedperfect
-
has dodgedperfect
-
am dodgingprogressive
-
are dodgingprogressive
-
is dodgingprogressive
-
have been dodgingperfect progressive
-
has been dodgingperfect progressive
Past
-
dodgedsimple
-
had dodgedperfect
-
was dodgingprogressive
-
were dodgingprogressive
-
had been dodgingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of dodge
First recorded in 1560–70; of obscure origin
Explanation
To dodge something is to avoid it. In dodge ball, players dodge the balls being thrown at them. Dodging is making quick, sudden movements, usually to avoid something. You have to move quickly to dodge a flower pot that's falling from a ledge. In football, running backs are good at dodging defensive players. Politicians do a lot of maneuvers and manipulations to dodge blame, and plenty of people dodge responsibility for something they're supposed to take care of. So any kind of evasion strategy is a dodge.
Vocabulary lists containing dodge
"LAFFF"
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Things Not Seen
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Unknown Origins
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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:
It also eliminated an earlier loophole that allowed stonecutting manufacturers to dodge safety requirements by claiming that protective steps weren’t feasible.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 12, 2026
After attempting to dodge the question several times, he said “no.”
From Salon ● Aug. 7, 2026
Domestic workers, labourers and other pedestrians routinely dodge speeding traffic, and many are killed trying to cross.
From BBC ● Aug. 6, 2026
In March, Chinese authorities banned entombing cremated remains in empty apartments, a practice that took off as mourners tried to dodge rising funeral costs.
From Barron's ● Jul. 15, 2026
We let loose a barrage, missing for the most part but making them dodge.
From "October Sky" by Homer Hickam
The Fort Wayne, Ind., resident brought her 2014 Dodge Journey to a mechanic a few years ago and left with unbalanced tires.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 1, 2026
Stephen Galloway, dean of Chapman University’s Dodge College of Film and Media Arts and the former executive editor of the Hollywood Reporter, sees Tilly occupying an uncomfortable middle ground.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 13, 2026
Take the case of a lightly used Dodge Charger that caught the eye of one CoPilot customer in late April.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 15, 2026
Gibson might not know specs like RPMs or cylinders, but he said he appreciates the “Fast and Furious” characters’ gorgeous cars, including Dominic Toretto’s 1970 Dodge Charger and Brian O’Connor’s late ’90s Mitsubishi Eclipse.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 8, 2026
A bearded textile worker in a tumbledown Dodge leaves her at Felicia’s door.
From "Dreaming in Cuban" by Cristina García
The movie sees that trap coming and dodges it by the skin of its teeth.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 13, 2026
A further risk for Ms. Spanberger is that her dodges contribute to a wider perception that she lacks candor.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 13, 2025
In the clip, Mace repeatedly dodges a question about upcoming town halls and asks when the man she's speaking to will stop "harassing" her.
From Salon ● Apr. 20, 2025
Anyone who dodges paying tax faces a higher interest rate when paying it back.
From BBC ● Oct. 30, 2024
The Boo Hag dodges it and leaps onto a wall on all fours.
From "The Manifestor Prophecy" by Angie Thomas
Woods ran the Via Alpina through storms, heat of up to 37C and dodged floods and wildfires across eight countries.
From BBC ● Aug. 2, 2026
These experiences came to mind while hearing Danny take on a yet-to-be-previously attempted vampire voice as he dodged dirty looks and jettisoned drinkware.
From Salon ● Jul. 31, 2026
"We dodged a bullet. It was very bad, but it could have been substantially worse. It was quite unsafe for everybody to be outside."
From Barron's ● Jul. 6, 2026
He testified that he “doesn’t know what happened” that day in September 2020 but acknowledged that he dodged the boys with his vehicle while Grossman, speeding behind him, did not.
From Los Angeles Times ● May 11, 2026
Mr. Curtain had perfect control of his chair, however, and as he raced down the rows he expertly dodged the children’s feet and the sharp corners of their desks, smiling as he went.
From "The Mysterious Benedict Society" by Trenton Lee Stewart
The Strictly stars were joined by five other pairs of celebrities as they spent two weeks dodging expert hunters.
From BBC ● Jul. 28, 2026
He denied intentionally dodging taxes or breaking the law, testifying that he disliked handling tax and other financial matters, so he relied on office managers and accountants.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 24, 2026
Morgan, and IBM and other quantum-computing players were dodging the tech selloff after the White House late Monday issued two executive orders to support quantum technology.
From Barron's ● Jun. 23, 2026
She enters the mosh pit fearlessly, dodging flailing arms to two-step — a synchronized dance move that requires punching and running in place — unleashing her energy in the punk sanctum.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 22, 2026
Stumbling slightly in the ragged grass, he began moving through the hoopberry trees, dodging the twisted, hanging branches.
From "Rowan of Rin" by Emily Rodda
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.
