Thesaurus results for PUSSYFOOTING

pussyfooting

verb

present participle of pussyfoot

as in weaseling

to avoid giving a definite answer or position politicians who try to pussyfoot around hot-button issues

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

as in lurking

to move about in a sly or secret manner pussyfooting through the hallways in the middle of the night

Synonyms & Similar Words

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 pussyfooting Fragments of story are fed to us, but there’s no forward thrust, just a lot of pussyfooting around. — Theater Critic, Los Angeles Times, 22 Apr. 2026 Alright Genesis, the time for pussyfooting is over. — New Atlas, 2 Apr. 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for pussyfooting

Verb

The tournament’s special status — its unwillingness to place any person above the sport — is part of why Williams wanted to play singles, not just doubles with her sister Venus, after waffling on the decision.

— Ava Wallace, New York Times, 30 June 2026
Nothing kills momentum faster than waffling on a big decision.

— Rolling Stone Culture Council, Rolling Stone, 23 Feb. 2026

Definition of waffling

Verb

Maybe the top of the fridge hasn’t seen a wipe-down in months, or the inside of your toaster tray has some lurking crumbs.

— Katie Rosenhouse, Southern Living, 31 Aug. 2026
Scientists do not yet know whether dark matter is made up of ancient black holes lurking throughout space, undiscovered heavy and slow particles, or unknown lighter and faster particles.

— Noah Haggerty, Los Angeles Times, 30 Aug. 2026

Definition of lurking

Verb

The 49ers, an otherwise good team, have for the past couple of months been weaving and slipping bad news like a boxer trying to avoid a knockout punch.

— Armando Salguero OutKick, FOXNews.com, 1 Sep. 2026
The campaign showcases Diesel’s creased denim treated with resin, 3-D denim, trompe l’oeil cable knit denim and the new regular-fit D-Heel jean, which has hidden vertical slits near the ankle, perfect for slipping through a stiletto heel.

— Angela Velasquez, Footwear News, 1 Sep. 2026

Definition of slipping

Verb

The Braves spent their afternoon with Little League baseball players, sliding down hills and laughing alongside children who will remember Sunday for the rest of their lives.

— Gabriel Burns, AJC.com, 25 Aug. 2026
Defender Kevin O'Toole poked the ball away, but Mboma Dem put away a sliding first-touch shot that opened the scoring in the 11th minute.

— CBS News, CBS News, 20 Aug. 2026

Definition of sliding

Browse Nearby Words

pussyfooted

pussyfooting

pussyfoots

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Style

“Pussyfooting.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pussyfooting. Accessed 4 Sep. 2026.

Copy Citation

Synonyms of pussyfooting

verb

Example Sentences

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

apiary

Popular in Grammar & Usage

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

A List of Most Commonly Confused Words

Why do we use apostrophes to show possession?

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?

Popular in Wordplay

The Longest Long Words List

Stay Woke

Ye Olde Nincompoop: Old-Fashioned Words for 'Stupid'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Words of the Week - Sept. 4

Popular

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

The Longest Long Words List

Stay Woke

Games & Quizzes