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to circumvent
01
to evade an obligation, question, or problem by means of excuses or dishonesty
Transitive: to circumvent an obligation or problem
Example
Many companies circumvent their environmental responsibilities by outsourcing to suppliers in other countries.
The politician attempted to circumvent the difficult question by changing the topic.
Some individuals try to circumvent taxes by using loopholes in the system.
02
to find a way around something, especially through cleverness or strategy
Transitive: to circumvent an obstacle
Example
The athlete circumvented the opponent 's defense with a quick maneuver.
Companies often try to circumvent taxes by using offshore accounts.
She managed to circumvent the traffic by taking a back road.
03
to surround someone or something so as to prevent escape or effective opposition
Transitive: to circumvent sb/sth
Example
Soldiers circumvented enemy positions on the hill by scaling the cliffs above under cover of night and rolling grenades down in the morning.
The police were able to circumvent the suspect by cordoning off the entire block, cutting off all possible escape routes.
Example
Many companies circumvent their environmental responsibilities by outsourcing to suppliers in other countries.
The politician attempted to circumvent the difficult question by changing the topic.
Some individuals try to circumvent taxes by using loopholes in the system.
Students often try to circumvent answering difficult exam questions by providing vague responses.
Employees circumvented performance reviews by calling in sick on evaluation days.
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