Dodging — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

verb phrase noun

Meaning & Definition of Dodging

Dodging (verb)

  1. to move to and fro or from place to place usually in an irregular course
  2. to make a sudden movement in a new direction (as to evade a blow)
  3. to evade a responsibility or duty especially by trickery or deceit

Dodging (phrase)

  1. to narrowly avoid an unwelcome, harmful, or disastrous outcome or occurrence

Dodging (noun) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. the act or a means of getting or keeping away from something undesirable

    "the governor's repeated dodging of tough questions at the press conference"

    similar: avoidance, cop-out, ducking, eluding, elusion, escape, eschewal, eschewing, evasion, out, shaking, shunning
    related: bypassing, circumvention, runaround, sidestepping, skirting, averting, deflection, obviation, precluding, prevention
    near: abidance, endurance, submission, toleration

Dodging (verb) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. to move suddenly aside or to and fro

    "dodging through the crowd on his way to the exit"

    similar: ducking, jinking, sidestepping, slaloming, weaving, zigzagging
    related: avoiding, eluding, escaping, evading, parrying, shirking, skirting, deflecting, turning, sliding, slipping

  2. to avoid having to comply with (something) especially through cleverness

    "always trying to dodge the landlord's rule prohibiting pets"

    similar: beating, bypassing, circumventing, getting around, shortcutting, sidestepping, skirting
    related: avoiding, ducking, eluding, end-running, escaping, eschewing, evading, outflanking, shaking, shirking, shunning, disobeying, disregarding, flouting, ignoring, averting, deflecting, diverting, obviating, parrying, preventing, warding (off)
    opposite: complying (with), following, keeping, obeying, observing
    near: acceding (to), acquiescing (to), assenting (to), accepting, courting, embracing, pursuing, seeking, welcoming, catching, contracting, incurring

  3. to get or keep away from (as a responsibility) through cleverness or trickery

    "dodged the horde of paparazzi by leaving through the service entrance"

    similar: avoiding, ducking, eluding, escaping, eschewing, evading, finessing, getting around, scaping, shaking, shirking, shuffling (out of), shunning, weaseling (out of), fighting shy of, keeping clear of, staying clear of, steering clear of
    related: missing, averting, deflecting, diverting, obviating, parrying, preventing, warding (off), banning, barring, debarring, eliminating, excepting, excluding, precluding, ruling out, bypassing, circumventing, skirting, foiling, foxing, frustrating, outfoxing, outsmarting, outwitting, overreaching, thwarting
    near: accepting, courting, embracing, pursuing, seeking, welcoming, catching, contracting, incurring

Related Entry: Dodge (verb)

Dodge is a different word from Dodging. The synonyms below are for dodge, not for dodging.

  1. to move suddenly aside or to and fro

    "dodging through the crowd on his way to the exit"

    similar: duck, jink, sidestep, slalom, weave, zigzag
    related: avoid, elude, escape, evade, parry, shirk, skirt, deflect, turn, slide, slip

  2. to avoid having to comply with (something) especially through cleverness

    "always trying to dodge the landlord's rule prohibiting pets"

    similar: beat, bypass, circumvent, get around, shortcut, sidestep, skirt
    related: avoid, duck, elude, end-run, escape, eschew, evade, outflank, shake, shirk, shun, disobey, disregard, flout, ignore, avert, deflect, divert, obviate, parry, prevent, ward (off)
    opposite: comply (with), follow, keep, obey, observe
    near: accede (to), acquiesce (to), assent (to), accept, court, embrace, pursue, seek, welcome, catch, contract, incur

  3. to get or keep away from (as a responsibility) through cleverness or trickery

    "dodged the horde of paparazzi by leaving through the service entrance"

    similar: avoid, duck, elude, escape, eschew, evade, finesse, get around, scape, shake, shirk, shuffle (out of), shun, weasel (out of), fight shy of, keep clear of, stay clear of, steer clear of
    related: miss, avert, deflect, divert, obviate, parry, prevent, ward (off), ban, bar, debar, eliminate, except, exclude, preclude, rule out, bypass, circumvent, skirt, foil, fox, frustrate, outfox, outsmart, outwit, overreach, thwart
    near: accept, court, embrace, pursue, seek, welcome, catch, contract, incur

Synonyms, Thesaurus & Another Word for Dodging

The most common words with a similar meaning to Dodging:

avoidance, cop-out, ducking, eluding, elusion, escape, eschewal, eschewing, evasion, out, shaking, shunning, jinking, sidestepping, slaloming, weaving, zigzagging, beating, bypassing, circumventing, getting around, shortcutting, skirting, avoiding, escaping, evading, finessing, scaping, shirking, shuffling (out of), weaseling (out of), fighting shy of, keeping clear of, staying clear of, steering clear of

Antonyms & Opposite Words for Dodging

Words with the opposite meaning of Dodging:

complying (with), following, keeping, obeying, observing

Related Words for Dodging

circumvention, runaround, averting, deflection, obviation, precluding, prevention, parrying, deflecting, turning, sliding, slipping, end-running, outflanking, disobeying, disregarding, flouting, ignoring, diverting, obviating, preventing, warding (off), missing, banning, barring, debarring, eliminating, excepting, excluding, ruling out

Near Antonyms of Dodging

abidance, endurance, submission, toleration, acceding (to), acquiescing (to), assenting (to), accepting, courting, embracing, pursuing, seeking, welcoming, catching, contracting, incurring

Word Forms of Dodging

Inflections: dodged

Origin & Etymology of Dodging

First known use: 1680i

Frequently Asked Questions about Dodging

What does "Dodging" mean?

"Dodging" means to move to and fro or from place to place usually in an irregular course. As an a verb, a phrase and a noun, it is defined as: to move to and fro or from place to place usually in an irregular course. It has 4 distinct senses.

What is another word for "Dodging"?

Other words for "Dodging" include avoidance, cop-out, ducking, eluding, elusion, escape, eschewal and eschewing. The best synonym depends on which meaning of "Dodging" you intend.

What are different ways to say "Dodging"?

There are 73 words and phrases with a similar meaning to "Dodging". Common alternatives include avoidance, cop-out, ducking, eluding, elusion, escape, eschewal, eschewing, evasion and out.

What is the opposite of "Dodging"?

Antonyms of "Dodging" include complying (with), following, keeping, obeying and observing. Near antonyms include abidance, endurance, submission and toleration.

How do you use "Dodging" in a sentence?

Examples of "Dodging" in a sentence: "the governor's repeated dodging of tough questions at the press conference"; "dodging through the crowd on his way to the exit"; "always trying to dodge the landlord's rule prohibiting pets".

Is "Dodging" a noun, verb, or adjective?

"Dodging" can be used as a verb, a phrase and a noun, depending on the context.

What is the origin of the word "Dodging"?

First known use: 1680i.

What is another word for "Dodging" meaning "the act or a means of getting or keeping away from something undesirable"?

When "Dodging" (noun) means the act or a means of getting or keeping away from something undesirable, synonyms include avoidance, cop-out, ducking, eluding, elusion and escape.