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workaround

American  
[wurk-uh-round] / ˈwɜrk əˌraʊnd /
Or work-around

noun

  1. Computers. a strategy or technique used to overcome a defect or other problem in a program or system.

    This is a known bug in version 1.5, but a workaround is available.

  2. any method used to overcome a technical problem, especially a problem that could prevent success.

    The astronauts needed a workaround to bypass the faulty cable.


workaround British  
/ ˈwɜːkəˌraʊnd /

noun

  1. a method of circumventing or overcoming a problem in a computer program or system

"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

Etymology

Origin of workaround

First recorded in 1970–75; work + around

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.

Perhaps the writer was eager for firsthand experience with betting apps and asked his editors to find a spiritual workaround.

From Slate • May 5, 2026

The FDA approved the pill for contraception in 1960, although women had access to it for years through a regulatory workaround.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 24, 2026

Goldman says this strategy is simply a workaround to hold platforms accountable for problematic third party content it publishes.

From Salon • Apr. 16, 2026

Don’t miss: Saudi Arabia has a workaround for the Hormuz crude-export standstill.

From MarketWatch • Mar. 23, 2026

Fortunately, the rest of the brain is equipped with a workaround for the bottleneck.

From "The Sense of Style" by Steven Pinker

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