1
as in to weasel
to avoid giving a definite answer or position
politicians who try to pussyfoot around hot-button issues
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of pussyfoot
Delivering the News Dear Delivering: Here’s how: Stop pussyfooting around the subject and be completely honest with your mother.
—
Abigail Van Buren, Boston Herald, 8 Feb. 2025
No less than Werner Herzog remade Murnau’s masterpiece in 1979, starring Klaus Kinski as the bald-headed bloodsucker; rather than pussyfoot around the whole rip-off-or-not aspect, the former doubles down and names the character Count Dracula.
—David Fear, Rolling Stone, 23 Dec. 2024
The results of this pussyfooting around are mixed, for everyone involved.
—Benedict Cosgrove, Newsweek, 18 Dec. 2024
In an interview that aired on NBC News this week, DeSantis for the first time finally stopped pussyfooting around whether Trump won in 2020.
—Philip Elliott, Time, 8 Aug. 2023
Yet other people want to pussyfoot around.
—Ed Symkus, USA TODAY, 3 Nov. 2020
What a crazy, zany coincidence that Harden pussyfooted around the controversy set off by Morey’s tweet.
—Scott Ostler, SFChronicle.com, 12 Oct. 2019
Deputy Managing Editor Yesha Callahan is gonna be mad at this short-ass lede, but today there’s no need to pussyfoot around.
—Michael Harriot, The Root, 15 June 2018
No pussyfooting around here: Sell-offs are painful.
—Anna-Louise Jackson, latimes.com, 9 Feb. 2018
Abigail Van Buren, Boston Herald, 8 Feb. 2025
No less than Werner Herzog remade Murnau’s masterpiece in 1979, starring Klaus Kinski as the bald-headed bloodsucker; rather than pussyfoot around the whole rip-off-or-not aspect, the former doubles down and names the character Count Dracula.
—David Fear, Rolling Stone, 23 Dec. 2024
The results of this pussyfooting around are mixed, for everyone involved.
—Benedict Cosgrove, Newsweek, 18 Dec. 2024
In an interview that aired on NBC News this week, DeSantis for the first time finally stopped pussyfooting around whether Trump won in 2020.
—Philip Elliott, Time, 8 Aug. 2023
Yet other people want to pussyfoot around.
—Ed Symkus, USA TODAY, 3 Nov. 2020
What a crazy, zany coincidence that Harden pussyfooted around the controversy set off by Morey’s tweet.
—Scott Ostler, SFChronicle.com, 12 Oct. 2019
Deputy Managing Editor Yesha Callahan is gonna be mad at this short-ass lede, but today there’s no need to pussyfoot around.
—Michael Harriot, The Root, 15 June 2018
No pussyfooting around here: Sell-offs are painful.
—Anna-Louise Jackson, latimes.com, 9 Feb. 2018
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pussyfoot
Verb
-
Trying to weasel things by providing additional levels is abhorrent.—
Lance Eliot,
Forbes,
20 Nov. 2024
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But when Douglas doesn’t invite her to the business dinner, the show suddenly takes a turn into wacky sitcom territory, with Maxine trying to weasel her way into Douglas’s business to meet and invite the Prince to the Beach Ball.—
Tom Smyth,
Vulture,
10 Apr. 2024
Verb
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Kirk Cousins lurks as a possible target down the line if the Falcons ever let him out of Atlanta.—
Pat Leonard,
New York Daily News,
13 Mar. 2025
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Karan’s bent-toed geckos were found lurking at night on rocks and boulders along a trail between villages, the study said.—
Aspen Pflughoeft,
Miami Herald,
12 Mar. 2025
Verb
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North Carolina snuck into the men’s draw as the final team chosen, a notable decision given that a) UNC athletic director Bubba Cunningham is chair of the selection committee, and b) Cunningham earned a $68,000 bonus for the Tar Heels’ selection.—
Scott Soshnick,
Sportico.com,
18 Mar. 2025
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Among the messages from Kori found by police were texts that called the girl beautiful, asked her to sneak out and come visit him.—
John Lynch,
arkansasonline.com,
18 Mar. 2025
Verb
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Medical examiners determined that Arakawa's death at 65 was caused by hantavirus pulmonary syndrome, a disease usually contracted from exposure to mouse droppings that affects the lungs.—
Wesley Stenzel,
EW.com,
7 Mar. 2025
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What’s more, mice need only 20 days to gestate, making for a quick turnaround from embryo to mouse pup.—
Jeffrey Kluger,
TIME,
4 Mar. 2025
Verb
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His ostensibly innocuous shot from well above the left circle clipped Dostál and then slipped through him to open the scoring.—
Andrew Knoll,
Orange County Register,
10 Mar. 2025
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Traction was excellent, and rolling on a bit of throttle in some corners allowed for some wheel slip from the powerful hub motor.—
William Roberson,
Forbes,
10 Mar. 2025
Verb
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As Alexander Isak received possession, Quansah moved towards him instead of tracking Gordon’s run, opening the space for Isak to slide Gordon in behind.—
Andy Jones,
The Athletic,
13 Mar. 2025
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Whether the economy will indeed slide into a recession is very much an open question.—
Christian Weller,
Forbes,
12 Mar. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Pussyfoot.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pussyfoot. Accessed 24 Mar. 2025.
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