Make Your Point > Archived Issues > CIRCUMVENT
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As I've mentioned before, it's a good idea to double-check the right pronunciation of a new word before using it.
If I'd followed that advice years ago, then I wouldn't have repeatedly, publically, tragically mispronounced martyr or ubiquitous. Today I'm more careful.
But some words are just hard to pronounce. At all costs, I avoid saying "Worcestershire sauce."
Our current president is flummoxed by Beyoncé and diversity, and of course, our beloved Dubya grappled with nuclear and inalienable.
Unlike poor Gob Bluth above, you'll probably have no trouble with today's circumvent. But which words are your bêtes noires of pronunciation?
make your point with...
"CIRCUMVENT"
This word has Latin roots that mean "to come around."
To circumvent something is to find a way around it: to avoid it, often in a smart or sneaky way.
Pronunciation:
SIR come VENT
Part of speech:
Verb, the transitive kind: "they circumvented the rules," "let's circumvent all this red tape."
Other common forms:
circumvented, circumventing, circumvention
How to use it:
This word is more formal than synonyms like "dodge," "avoid," and "get around."
Talk about people, businesses, nations and so on that circumvent laws, rules, orders, commands, sanctions, restrictions, limitations, requirements, or any standard processes or systems.
You can also circumvent people, like leaders, authorities, and lawmakers. And you can circumvent punishments and consequences, like fees, jail time, and justice.
As you can see, circumvention is most often a sneaky, lowdown move.
But on a happier, more morally upright note, you can also circumvent the critics and their criticisms, or circumvent bureaucracy or other types of gridlock, or circumvent a war, a tragedy, a loss of life, etc.
examples:
"He routinely credits Twitter for his political success, calling it a 'tremendous platform' that allows him to circumvent what he deems to be unfair media coverage and speak directly to his base of supporters."
— Liam Stack, New York Times, 15 May 2019
"Singers, instrumentalists, and composers used music to circumvent ecclesiastical authority and to forge links with the world beyond convent walls."
— Craig A. Monson, Disembodied Voices: Music and Culture in an Early Modern Italian Convent, 1995
has this page helped you understand "circumvent"?
study it:
Explain the meaning of "circumvent" without saying "skirt" or "dodge."
try it out:
Fill in the blanks: "(Someone) often circumvented (some promise, commitment, or regulation) by (doing something sneaky)."
Example: "Laura swore to herself she'd never tell a lie. But she often circumvented that promise by constructing careful half-truths."
before you review, play:
Spend 20 seconds or more on the game below. Don’t skip straight to the review—let your working memory empty out first.
Our game this month is "Big Bang Thicket."
In each issue, hack your way through the polysyllabic title of an episode of The Big Bang Theory, and use your knowledge of vocabulary to answer the question about what happens in that episode.
From the previous issue:
In "The Toast Derivation," does Sheldon enjoy teaching people where the word “toast” came from, or does he insist on turning social toasts into long, drawn-out rituals?
Answer:
He teaches people where the word "toast" comes from. "Derive" means "originate from" or "come from."
Try this one today:
In "The Roommate Transmogrification," does Sheldon get an entirely different roommate, or does he involve his roommate in an escalating series of bets?
review this word:
1. A near opposite of CIRCUMVENT is
A. LOSE.
B. OBVIATE.
C. ABIDE BY.
2. He's an immigrant, one who remains angry with others who circumvented _____.
A. their own culture, allowing it to disappear
B. the long, difficult process of moving here legally
C. an already-stressful transition into a new language
a final word:
I hope you're enjoying Make Your Point. It's made with love.
I'm Liesl Johnson, a reading and writing tutor on a mission to explore, illuminate, and celebrate words.
From my blog:
36 ways to study words.
Why we forget words, & how to remember them.
How to use sophisticated words without being awkward.
To be a sponsor and include your ad in an issue, please contact me at Liesl@HiloTutor.com.
Disclaimer: When I write definitions, I use plain language and stick to the words' common, useful applications. If you're interested in authoritative and multiple definitions of words, I encourage you to check a dictionary. Also, because I'm American, I stick to American English when I share words' meanings, usage, and pronunciations; these elements sometimes vary across world Englishes.
As I've mentioned before, it's a good idea to double-check the right pronunciation of a new word before using it. This word has Latin roots that mean "to come around."
"He routinely credits Twitter for his political success, calling it a 'tremendous platform' that allows him to circumvent what he deems to be unfair media coverage and speak directly to his base of supporters."
Explain the meaning of "circumvent" without saying "skirt" or "dodge."
Fill in the blanks: "(Someone) often circumvented (some promise, commitment, or regulation) by (doing something sneaky)."
Spend 20 seconds or more on the game below. Don’t skip straight to the review—let your working memory empty out first.
1. A near opposite of CIRCUMVENT is
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