Words / C1

surk-uh-m-VENT/ˌsɜːkəmˈvent/

To circumvent is to find a way around a rule or problem, often without breaking it openly: circumvent a paywall, circumvent a ban. Get round is the everyday British phrasal verb; avoid is weaker; evade can imply dishonesty. Circumvention is the noun. In speech, get round or dodge is more natural. The word can be neutral (a clever workaround) or critical (a dodge) — tone decides. It is not a synonym for solve.

Meaning

To find a way around a rule or problem, often without breaking it openly.

Examples

• “They circumvented the paywall with a shared login.”
• “They circumvented the booking limit by splitting the group across two names.”
• “A footnote cannot circumvent the word count if the examiner reads it.”

Good to know

Get around a rule/problem. Everyday: get round / dodge. Close: evade (more dishonest). Noun: circumvention. Not “solve”.

Near in meaning

get round

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