footwork
Americannoun
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the use of the feet, as in tennis, boxing, or dancing.
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travel by foot from one place to another, as in gathering facts or fulfilling an assignment; legwork.
The project entailed a great deal of footwork.
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the act or process of maneuvering, especially in a skillful manner.
It took a bit of fancy footwork to avoid the issue.
noun
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skilful use of the feet, as in sports, dancing, etc
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informal clever manoeuvring
deft political footwork
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informal preliminary groundwork
many estate agents now do the footwork – you only need to visit
Etymology
Origin of footwork
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.
McDaniel began making small adjustments to Justin Herbert’s footwork during organized team activities, and those changes have become second nature for the Chargers quarterback.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 29, 2026
“I thought it was a great time to be able to master my footwork, and then to come back out and just play fast and not have to worry about it.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 29, 2026
Atkinson stretched the lead out to 35-3, going in after some blurring footwork from Marcus Smith and a lovely offload off the floor from Van Poortvliet.
From BBC ● Jul. 11, 2026
Her ball toss went awry, her footwork was a step slower, and she was more agitated, at one point screaming in frustration after a netted forehand.
From BBC ● Jul. 11, 2026
You turn around and call to Adrienne, who’s practicing her footwork while she refills the milk canisters next to the coffee lids.
From "Goodbye Stranger" by Rebecca Stead
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.
