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• dodge
  dodge

  verb (used with object)

  to elude or evade by a sudden shift of position or by strategy.
• Dodge
  Dodge

  noun

  Mary Elizabeth, 1831–1905, U.S. editor and author of children's books.

dodge

¹ American  

[doj] / dɒdʒ /

verb (used with object)

• dodges,
  present (3rd person singular)
• dodged,
  past participle,  past
• dodging
  present participle

1. to elude or evade by a sudden shift of position or by strategy.

   to dodge a blow; to dodge a question.

   Synonyms:

   avoid

2. 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 ).

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verb (used without object)

• dodges,
  present (3rd person singular)
• dodged,
  past participle,  past
• dodging
  present participle

1. to move aside or change position suddenly, as to avoid a blow or get behind something.

2. to use evasive methods; prevaricate.

   When asked a direct question, he dodges.

   Synonyms:

   quibble, equivocate

noun

• dodges
  plural

1. a quick, evasive movement, as a sudden jump away to avoid a blow or the like.

2. an ingenious expedient or contrivance; shifty trick.

3. Slang. a business, profession, or occupation.

Dodge ² American  

[doj] / dɒdʒ /

noun

1. Mary Elizabeth, 1831–1905, U.S. editor and author of children's books.

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dodge British  

/ dɒdʒ /

verb

1. to avoid or attempt to avoid (a blow, discovery, etc), as by moving suddenly

2. to evade (questions, etc) by cleverness or trickery

3. (intr) Leisure:Bell-ringing to make a bell change places with its neighbour when sounding in successive changes

4. (tr) photog to lighten or darken (selected areas on a print) by manipulating the light from an enlarger

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noun

1. a plan or expedient contrived to deceive

2. a sudden evasive or hiding movement

3. a clever contrivance

4. Leisure:Bell-ringing the act of dodging

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• outdodge
  verb (used with object)
• undodged
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• dodges
  plural

Participles

• dodging
  present
• dodged
  past

Conjugated Forms

Present

• dodge
  simple
• dodges
  simple
• have dodged
  perfect
• has dodged
  perfect
• am dodging
  progressive
• are dodging
  progressive
• is dodging
  progressive
• have been dodging
  perfect progressive
• has been dodging
  perfect progressive

Past

• dodged
  simple
• had dodged
  perfect
• was dodging
  progressive
• were dodging
  progressive
• had been dodging
  perfect progressive

Future

• will dodge
  simple
• will have dodged
  perfect
• will be dodging
  progressive
• will have been dodging
  perfect progressive

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Etymology

Origin of dodge

First recorded in 1560–70; of obscure origin

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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.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

dodge Dodge dodges dodged dodging

"Dear protesters, since you're being filmed without your consent, try using make-up to dodge surveillance/facial recognition cameras," she said on social media.

From Barron's ● Oct. 13, 2026

A centralised crackdown on illegal number plates will target organised crime groups and drivers who dodge fines by bringing together data and information from police forces across England, the government has said.

From BBC ● Sep. 5, 2026

The drama has come as a surprise to some who know Walter, who has earned respect for his financial acumen and, despite his purchases of high-profile sports teams, has tended to dodge publicity.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 5, 2026

A restriction that would draw constitutional scrutiny if government imposed it directly shouldn’t necessarily dodge that scrutiny because it arrived wrapped inside a consent judgment.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 28, 2026

I missed jump rope and dodge ball and field trips.

From "The Old Willis Place" by Mary Downing Hahn

Jeramy seemed to have a motive: A couple of weeks before the break-in, Roebuck had repossessed a Dodge Dakota pickup truck he’d sold to Jeramy after his nephew fell behind on payments.

From Slate ● Sep. 17, 2026

Then the light turns green and he beats them off the line even while towing a Dodge Charger on a flatbed.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 13, 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

Video of the confrontation appears to show Nelson idling in a snowy strip mall parking lot in his gray Dodge Ram when another driver in an even larger pickup pulls in beside him.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 10, 2026

Mr. Dodge wasn’t even a real science teacher.

From "The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian" by Sherman Alexie

Interviews with more than a dozen former aides and lawmakers, along with internal records, show an increasingly dysfunctional operation as Fetterman churns through staff and dodges constituents.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 4, 2026

He artfully dodges, however, two of the most important issues: energy and immigration.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Mar. 19, 2026

His signature artworks often appear without warning, sparking global conversation, but the culprit quietly dodges the limelight.

From BBC ● Mar. 18, 2026

Thankfully, Lynn Cullen’s novel about Marilyn, “When We Were Brilliant,” dodges all these myriad bullets.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jan. 20, 2026

Flashes of light zip through the dining hall, but the Manifestor dodges every juju that Dad and Uncle Ty draw.

From "The Manifestor Prophecy" by Angie Thomas

“Since that really big winter in 1983, we’ve had several occasions of pretty active winter storms, but we’ve sort of dodged bullets because those storms, in general, didn’t fall upon the highest tides,” Cayan said.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 12, 2026

He noted that unemployment remains low, argued that the economy remains strong, and dodged questions about whether he plans to speak with Trump.

From Slate ● Sep. 16, 2026

Stalter dodged questions about what inspired the look, telling reporters that she and her stylist just threw it together and that her co-star Paul W Downs airbrushed her himself.

From BBC ● Sep. 15, 2026

When asked to comment on situation by local media, he dodged the question.

From Barron's ● Sep. 12, 2026

He dodged the block tower and slid inside.

From "The Rock and the River" by Kekla Magoon

Car radios were still uncommon, but one afternoon, the airborne commander spent 20 minutes chewing out a Sunday driver he saw weaving and dodging through a traffic jam in Queens.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 16, 2026

"Flappy Bill", a clone of the 2013 viral hit Flappy Bird sees players fly a bald eagle and dodging monuments from the National Mall.

From BBC ● Sep. 9, 2026

In the 20-minute gameplay sequence, Lara Croft -- still in her famous blue top and brown shorts -- explores an abandoned tomb in Greece, battling panthers and dodging giant swords falling from the ceiling.

From Barron's ● Sep. 2, 2026

As the U.S. stock market heads into September, the S&P 500 stands a technical chance of dodging a big loss in what is historically a turbulent month.

From MarketWatch ● Aug. 31, 2026

He tore through the thick forest, dodging trees and stumbling over rocks.

From I Survived the American Revolution, 1776 by Lauren Tarshis

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Related Words

• ditch
• duck
• elude
• escape
• evade
• fend off
• shuffle
• sidestep
• skirt

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