DODGING Synonyms: 94 Similar and Opposite Words

dodging 1 of 2

noun

as in escape

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

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

dodging

2 of 2

verb

present participle of dodge

as in ducking

to move suddenly aside or to and fro dodging through the crowd on his way to the exit

Synonyms & Similar Words

as in circumventing

to avoid having to comply with (something) especially through cleverness always trying to dodge the landlord's rule prohibiting pets

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in avoiding

to get or keep away from (as a responsibility) through cleverness or trickery dodged the horde of paparazzi by leaving through the service entrance

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of dodging

Noun

China appears to be the main culprit behind the tariff dodging, processing exports through more than 40 other countries, according to the report. — Sasha Rogelberg, Fortune, 14 Aug. 2026 Many Londoners have firsthand experience of phone-snatching or have witnessed a surge in shoplifting and subway fare-dodging. — ABC News, 23 July 2026 Not everyone wants to spend the Fourth dodging booms. — Melissa Oyler, Charlotte Observer, 26 June 2026 Ditching grass and dodging HOAs, some homeowners are opting for native lawns. — Joe Mutascio, IndyStar, 8 June 2026 When McKenzie asks him how much he’s contributed to the coffers of politicians, his dodging of the question is pure dissembling theater. — Owen Gleiberman, Variety, 20 Apr. 2026 Furthermore, the Ukrainian army is short-handed, facing around 200,000 troop desertions and draft-dodging by around 2 million people, Fedorov said in January. — Kirsten Grieshaber, Los Angeles Times, 14 Apr. 2026 Starter Seth Lugo pitched four strong innings, including artful dodging of traffic in the second, and the bullpen stranded seven Colombia base runners the rest of the way. — Maria Torres, New York Times, 7 Mar. 2026 All combat is close combat, made harder by the fact that running and dodging depletes Shimizu’s stamina quite quickly, leaving her too exhausted to run through maze-like streets and alleyways, or fight off whatever horrible thing is waiting around the next corner. — Richard Newby, Time, 6 Dec. 2025

Verb

In the small Sri Lankan surf town of Hiriketiya, tuk-tuks whiz past, dodging potholes and dogs sleeping in the sun. — Katie Lockhart, Travel + Leisure, 15 Aug. 2026 Because the sites are generally located at least 100 feet away from any trails, visiting them can require bushwhacking through swampy terrain or dense undergrowth, dodging branches and the occasional cobweb. — John Moritz, Hartford Courant, 14 Aug. 2026 More crazy headlines have followed, from coaches wearing pro-trans-kids shirts to Caitlin Clark dodging questions about her own views on trans athletes. — Payton McNabb Outkick, FOXNews.com, 10 Aug. 2026 To help build that picture, Heinzerling and team got on court with Nadal, with camera operators dodging tennis balls and sliding and capturing moments of Nadal with his young son and wife at home. — Caitlin Huston, HollywoodReporter, 9 Aug. 2026 With these headwinds in sight, the success of Myspace hinges on some key factors, including attracting advertisers, sustaining user interest, and dodging a thorny regulatory environment. — Sawdah Bhaimiya, CNBC, 9 Aug. 2026 Koehn’s video shows Salinas shooting and then dodging, taking cover in the bushes near a thin strip of grass between the drive-thru and Koehn’s car. — Idaho Statesman, 7 Aug. 2026 Throughout the day, teenagers would dash onto the beach, dodging officers before diving back into the water. — Kerry Breen, CBS News, 31 July 2026 Spider-Man co-stars Zendaya and Tom Holland spent years dodging questions about whether or not there was something more to their on-screen romance. — Christopher Luu, InStyle, 31 July 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for dodging

Noun

Na Praia won’t be open until summer 2027, but the proprietors of the beloved pastoral escape that is São Lourenço do Barrocal east of Comporta are promising an exquisite new offering of suites, houses, and villas nestled into the dunes themselves.

— Mattie Kahn, Vogue, 31 Aug. 2026
In 1959, the Dalai Lama fled Tibet through the Himalayas; a smokejumper designed a special high-altitude parachute to drop three hundred thousand Indian rupees to his escape party.

— M. R. O’Connor, New Yorker, 31 Aug. 2026

Definition of escape

Verb

Iran has been subject to Western sanctions for years and has become deft at partially circumventing them.

— Khaled Wassef, CBS News, 21 Aug. 2026
The United Arab Emirates, meanwhile, has begun construction on a new pipeline that will run from the country’s oil fields to the port of Fujairah on the Gulf of Oman, circumventing the strait, the UAE announced in May.

— Max Zahn, ABC News, 18 Aug. 2026

Definition of circumventing

Verb

Suggest a timeline, assign a task, or ask the question everyone keeps politely avoiding.

— Tarot.com, New York Daily News, 1 Sep. 2026
Officials annually emphasize boating safety, wearing life jackets and being aware of conditions, especially rip currents, and avoiding drinking alcoholic beverages when venturing out on the water.

— Charles Selle, Chicago Tribune, 31 Aug. 2026

Definition of avoiding

Noun

Grossman, the attorney representing Ream and Morris in the two cases, agrees that there was massive tax evasion when the ban was passed.

— Maureen Groppe, USA Today, 30 Aug. 2026
Last December, Galvan admitted paying the bribe and pleaded guilty to one count of bribery concerning programs receiving federal funds and one count of evasion of tax assessment.

— Richard Winton, Los Angeles Times, 28 Aug. 2026

Definition of evasion

Verb

Prosecutors allege Reyes-Vargas has six prior convictions for bad or dangerous driving, including a DUI conviction, evading police, and engaging in a speed contest.

— Nate Gartrell, Mercury News, 27 Aug. 2026
The father-daughter duo has set up shop ensconced in the woods, herding donkeys and so far evading the violence closing in on them from the outside.

— Ryan Lattanzio, IndieWire, 25 Aug. 2026

Definition of evading

Verb

This is because the material that serves as the building blocks for planets is constantly escaping the swirling platters of gas and dust, or protoplanetary disks, that wrap around infant stars.

— Robert Lea, Space.com, 27 Aug. 2026
Fuller’s ideas are hard to summarize, but always seem to reach toward a utopian vision of escaping the drudgery of everyday life.

— Christopher Cox, Vanity Fair, 26 Aug. 2026

Definition of escaping

Browse Nearby Words

dodginess

dodging

dodgy

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Style

“Dodging.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dodging. Accessed 1 Sep. 2026.

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Synonyms of dodging

noun

verb

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