footwork

noun

foot·​work ˈfu̇t-ˌwərk 

1

: the activity of moving from place to place

the investigation entailed a lot of footwork

2

: the management of the feet (as in boxing)

also : the work done with them

3

: active and adroit maneuvering to achieve an end

fancy political footwork

Examples of footwork in a Sentence

The investigation required a lot of footwork.

He used quick footwork to dodge his opponent.

The tango involves some fancy footwork.

He knows that getting enough votes for the proposal is going to require some fancy political footwork.

Recent Examples on the Web

Spencer didn’t use his footwork or head movement to avoid the blows coming his way and by the fourth round rolled around and Tszyu was landing at will, Spencer’s corner waved off the contest. —Trent Reinsmith, Forbes.com, 5 Apr. 2025

His footwork at the line of scrimmage and his violent hands often gave him an advantage before a receiver could even get up the field. —James Boyd, New York Times, 28 Mar. 2025

Unlike Sour, the wear ankle bells to accentuate spritely footwork. —Lauren Warnecke, Chicago Tribune, 22 Mar. 2025

Webb tossed two perfect innings with a strikeout as the Giants defeated the Cincinnati Reds, 5-2, on Sunday afternoon at Scottsdale Stadium, but more than the results, the true intrigue of the right-hander’s first start of spring training lies in his footwork. —Justice Delos Santos, The Mercury News, 24 Feb. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1859, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for footwork

• artwork
• beadwork
• berserk
• breastwork
• brickwork
• brushwork
• casework
• classwork
• clockwork
• coursework
• ductwork
• earthwork

Kids Definition

footwork

noun

foot·​work -ˌwərk 

: the movement of the feet (as in boxing)