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.
He had to be in crisis, his deviations in footwork and arm motion analyzed like tanker traffic around the Strait of Hormuz.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 7, 2026
Teasdale learnt both ballet and gymnastics to develop his footwork and skills in the ring and was seemingly set for stardom.
From BBC ● Sep. 19, 2026
As he and his wife watched his beloved Ducks lose to a beleaguered Oklahoma State team, Woodin spotted a dead giveaway in Moore’s footwork.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 16, 2026
With the footwork, speed and sharp pressure fighting that defined her career, Taylor produced one final stylish performance against the overmatched Frenchwoman to win by scores of 100-90, 100-90 and 98-91.
From BBC ● Sep. 5, 2026
Two swords, some fancy footwork, and a clear winner.
From Full of Beans by Jennifer L. Holm
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Get a wordDefinitions 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.
