1
as in to bypass
to avoid having to comply with (something) especially through cleverness
employees who try to circumvent the company's dress code
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to avoid
to avoid by going around
circumvented the traffic jam by taking an alternate route
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in to traverse
to travel completely around
most casual joggers will be able to circumvent the reservoir without too much of a strain
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of circumvent
What happened this weekend circumvented all of that.
—
Jon Duffy, Mercury News, 6 Jan. 2026
Torre revealed that the Los Angeles Clippers might have circumvented the NBA’s salary cap through Aspiration, a company with whom Clippers owner Steve Ballmer invested $50 million and was a team sponsor.
—Michael McCann, Sportico.com, 29 Dec. 2025
The lawsuit claims that HHS' declaration seeks to coerce providers to stop providing gender-affirming care and circumvent legal requirements for policy changes.
—Ali Swenson The Associated Press, Arkansas Online, 25 Dec. 2025
Beyond the direct environmental gains, the project positions China to circumvent international carbon tariffs, such as the EU’s Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism, by producing high-grade thin steel plates for the automotive and high-end manufacturing sectors with a near-zero carbon footprint.
—Aman Tripathi, Interesting Engineering, 25 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for circumvent
Recent Examples of Synonyms for circumvent
Verb
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Downloads of VPNs, which hide users’ locations to bypass country-specific restrictions, increased before the ban.—
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Iranians are seeking, with some success, to bypass the regime’s internet blackout amid the country’s deadliest protests in years.—
Verb
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To avoid this dilemma, my aunt always travels with a portable power bank like this slim option from Anker.—
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Learn how to properly thaw frozen pipes, and how to avoid them in the first place.—
Verb
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The video showed the mysterious concept, dubbed Corleo, roaming rocky terrain, leaping over icy crevasses, crossing snowy landscapes without losing its footing, and traversing a dark forest at night — all while carrying an adult rider on its back and being powered by a hydrogen power cell.—
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The massive International Sportsmen’s Expo returns to the Colorado Convention Center this weekend for all things hunting, fishing and traversing the land.—
Verb
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Davis faces three counts of first-degree assault and a single count each of second-degree manslaughter, evading responsibility involving a death, reckless driving and failure to drive in the proper lane.—
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Ashton Hill, 17, was charged with discharge of a firearm in certain municipalities, evading arrest, riot participation, possession of marijuana under two ounces in a drug-free zone and possession of CS PG2 under one gram.—
Verb
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SpaceX just launched the first-ever human spaceflight to circle Earth over its poles.—
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Cassidy pointed to a December game in Columbus when defenseman Brayden McNabb slid down from the point as Marner circled up to the top.—
Verb
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Austin Abrams stars as a scuba diver who, while searching for his father’s (Josh Brolin) body, gets swallowed and must find a way to escape.—
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Set in 1977, during Brazil’s military dictatorship, the thriller details Armando and his son in their efforts to escape the country in the midst of political turmoil.—
Verb
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Some thought the mystery bore a direct relation to the green tangle that tightly encircled the two dozen shacks balanced precariously between the rain forest and the yellowish waters.—
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While encircled outside his locker Saturday, disappointed in the result but proud of his team’s effort, Coker answered questions about his career game.—
Verb
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Authorities said Sutton ignored multiple commands to comply and resisted detention.—
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The background checks on Cook, if in fact there were any, were totally ignored.—
Cite this Entry
“Circumvent.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/circumvent. Accessed 20 Jan. 2026.
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