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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.

See Examples For:

The SPVs provide a workaround to the limit on the number of shareholders private companies can have without offering more detailed financials.

From The Wall Street Journal Aug. 6, 2026

He’s found a workaround for other annoyances: Sticking pieces of tape to the display so he can find critical buttons by touching them, instead of looking.

From The Wall Street Journal Jul. 30, 2026

Now, the country is pivoting toward yet another workaround, this time looking north to the Mediterranean Sea to export its crude.

From MarketWatch Jul. 29, 2026

Scientists previously explored plasmonics as a possible workaround.

From Science Daily May 21, 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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