circumvent
- 01 C1 Advanced
to find a way to avoid following a rule or law without actually breaking it.
to evade a rule, law, or restriction by finding a loophole or using strategic ingenuity. Transitive — requires a direct object.
Simple“Some companies try to circumvent tax laws by keeping their money in other countries.”
In context“The corporation attempted to circumvent the new environmental regulations by reclassifying their waste products as recyclable materials.”
UsageCommonly used with abstract objects like 'rules', 'regulations', 'laws', or 'security'.
- 02 C1 Advanced
to travel around something instead of going through it.
to bypass a physical obstacle or geographic feature by moving around its perimeter.
Simple“We had to circumvent the flooded area to reach the village.”
In context“The expedition was forced to circumvent the mountain range to the north, as the primary pass remained blocked by heavy snowfall.”
UsageOften used in technical or formal descriptions of navigation and movement.
- 03 C2 Proficiency
to get the better of someone by being clever or tricky.
to outwit or outmanoeuvre an opponent through superior strategy or deception.
Simple“The clever spy managed to circumvent the guards and enter the building.”
In context“The diplomat's primary goal was to circumvent his rivals' influence at the conference through a series of private negotiations.”
Synonyms
“Iranian Minister of Petroleum Mohsen Paknejad says that the country’s oil industry continues to “circumvent” the blockade imposed by US forces, describing the situation as difficult but manageable.”
“It can only be accessed from abroad, or with the help of VPNs – virtual private networks used to circumvent restrictions.”
Learned borrowing from Latin circumveniō.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.