workaround

or work-a·round

[ wurk-uh-round ]

/ ˈwɜrk əˌraʊnd /

Save This Word!

noun

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.

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.

QUIZ

TAKE JOY IN ACING THIS QUIZ ON “PRIDE” SYNONYMS

Hold your head up high as you embark on this quiz that explores some of the synonyms and meanings of “pride.”

Question 1 of 7

What does "dignity" mean?

showing self-respect

treating others with kindness

acting selfishly

TAKE THE QUIZ TO FIND OUT

Origin of workaround

First recorded in 1970–75; work + around

Words nearby workaround

wore-out, work, workable, workaday, workaholic, workaround, work back, workbag, workbasket, workbench, workboat

How to use workaround in a sentence

The content studio has found a workaround in shooting outside or coaching talent on how to film themselves.
‘Everything was done in stages’: How Covid-19 impacted DoorDash’s first Super Bowl spot|Kimeko McCoy|January 28, 2021|Digiday
Assembloids are a sort of “mini-me,” a workaround for testing potential treatments on a simple “replica” of a person rather than directly on a human.
Meet Assembloids, Mini Human Brains With Muscles Attached|Shelly Fan|January 12, 2021|Singularity Hub
Harvard researchers are, however, developing a workaround based on the physical principles of a children’s pop-up toy.
Why ‘soft robots’ have NASA, doctors, and tech whizzes so excited|jakemeth|January 1, 2021|Fortune
Rapid advances in AI have provided a potential workaround by letting robots learn how to carry out tasks instead of relying on hand-coded instructions.
New Deep Learning Method Helps Robots Become Jacks-of-all-Trades|Edd Gent|December 14, 2020|Singularity Hub

Some workarounds already are coming into practice, relying on things like grouping cohorts to reach the right consumers with the right message.
The promising post-cookie world|Ryan Bricklemyer|December 4, 2020|Search Engine Watch
One workaround is for EMR software to include pre-programmed template notes.
The Unintended Consequences of Electronic Medical Records, Continued|Megan McArdle|January 25, 2013|DAILY BEAST
Your union workers and their rep may be willing to workaround these things for you, but it is a favor, not a right you have.
Should Teachers Be Graded On Standardized Tests?|Megan McArdle|September 12, 2012|DAILY BEAST
Faced with a roadblock, Google last year came up with a workaround.
Google Attempts to Take Down Facebook With ‘Search Plus Your World’ Feature|Dan Lyons|January 12, 2012|DAILY BEAST

British Dictionary definitions for workaround

workaround

/ (ˈwɜːkəˌraʊnd) /

noun

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