circumvent

verb

cir·​cum·​vent ˌsər-kəm-ˈvent 

circumvented; circumventing; circumvents

transitive verb

1

: to manage to get around especially by ingenuity or stratagem

the setup circumvented the red tape

—Lynne McTaggart

circumvent a problem

2

a

: to hem in

Circumvented by the enemy, he had to surrender.

b

: to make a circuit around

the river circumvented

circumvention

ˌsər-kəm-ˈven(t)-shən 

noun

Did you know?

The Circular History of Circumvent

If you’ve ever felt as if someone was running circles around those trying to get something done, you have an idea of the origins of circumvent—it comes from the Latin word circumventus, a form of the verb circumvenire, meaning “to surround or go around” (circumvenire combines the adverb circum, “in a circle around,” and the verb venire, “to come”). The earliest uses of circumvent referred to a tactic of hunting or warfare in which the quarry or enemy was encircled and captured. This meaning doesn’t exactly square with modern uses of the word. Today, circumvent more often suggests avoidance than entrapment; to come full circle, it typically means to “get around” someone or something, as by evading a problem or avoiding the law.

Synonyms

• beat
• bypass
• dodge
• get around
• shortcut
• sidestep
• skirt

Examples of circumvent in a Sentence

Los Angeles was the beachhead for the sushi invasion, attracting many Japanese chefs eager to make their fortunes and to circumvent the grueling 10-year apprenticeship required in their homeland. —Jay McInerney, New York Times Book Review, 10 June 2007

… Rondon and Lyra paddled to the right side, where they found a channel that circumvented the worst part of the rapids. —Candice Millard, The River of Doubt, 2005

His appreciation of this finer side of life is circumvented by a cynicism that he tells me is common to Eastern Europeans. —Lynne Tillman, Motion Sickness, 1991

The thirty-six-hour workweek established by the garment-industry code was circumvented by having the workers punch out at five P.M., leave by the back door (their usual entrance), then return by the front door and work until eleven P.M. without punching the clock. —Melissa Hield, Speaking For Ourselves, (1977) 1984

We circumvented the problem by using a different program.

He found a way to circumvent the law.

Recent Examples on the Web

Attempts to circumvent the law will not be tolerated, California Atty. —Andrea Castillo, Los Angeles Times, 20 Jan. 2025

Thankfully, one way to circumvent this challenge is to try freelancing. —Rachel Wells, Forbes, 20 Jan. 2025

TikTok could circumvent such restrictions, at least temporarily, though experts say the quality of the app would degrade over time. —Max Zahn, ABC News, 17 Jan. 2025

What To Know On January 15, the U.S. Treasury Department said in a news release that Moscow had sought ways to circumvent sanctions imposed by the U.S. after Russia began a full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. —Yaakov Katz, Newsweek, 17 Jan. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Latin circumventus, past participle of circumvenire, from circum- + venire to come — more at come

First Known Use

1539, in the meaning defined at sense 2a

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Kids Definition

circumvent

verb

cir·​cum·​vent ˌsər-kəm-ˈvent 

1

: to go around : bypass entry 2

2

: to get the better of or avoid the force or effect of by cleverness

circumvented the rules

circumvention

-ˈven-chən 

noun