avoid the rules

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "avoid the rules" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it when discussing the act of not following established guidelines or regulations in a particular context. Example: "In order to foster creativity, sometimes it's necessary to avoid the rules and think outside the box."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

11 human-written examples

Witnesses at the trial also described how mine workers were informally trained to avoid the rules.

The New Yorker

"You're going to wind up changing economic relationships if you avoid the rules," he said.

The New York Times

The guidelines also state that financial institutions should be prevented from setting up offshore subsidiaries where they could move employees to avoid the rules.

The New York Times

He admitted that fear of an enforced breakup could be used to put pressure on banks that were trying to avoid the rules.

The Guardian - Money

Treasury officials said any evidence banks were trying to avoid the rules would encourage authorities to impose the tax for another year.

The Guardian - Business

The only safety valves, so-called "opening clauses" that allow companies to set aside the agreement under certain conditions, are being used increasingly in other industries to avoid the rules being openly flouted.

The Economist

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

47 human-written examples

To avoid the rule in those instances, OneMain could either delay gaining access to these borrowers' accounts, or lower the costs ever so slightly.

The New York Times

"One of the great fears was that banks could avoid the rule by simply pretending that their prop trading was somehow their market-making or hedging," a Congressional aide told me.

The New York Times

Stay out of the loser positions for 31 days to avoid the rule against "wash sales".

Forbes

The main contribution of this work is the derivation of the hierarchical adaptive fuzzy algorithm to avoid the rule explosion phenomenon that characterizes traditional fuzzy systems.

Engineering Applications of Artificial Intelligence

All it takes to avoid the "rule of law" is to have the money.

Huffington Post

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Consider alternative phrases like "skirt the regulations" or "bypass the guidelines" to add nuance and avoid repetition.

Common error

Be careful not to use "avoid the rules" when you mean to describe outright illegal actions. "Avoiding the rules" implies finding loopholes or legal ways around regulations, not breaking the law.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "avoid the rules" functions as a verb phrase, typically used within a larger sentence structure to indicate an action taken to not follow or be bound by regulations or guidelines. Ludwig AI's examples illustrate its use in various contexts, such as business, finance, and politics.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

50%

Science

25%

Formal & Business

25%

Less common in

Academia

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "avoid the rules" is a versatile phrase used to describe actions taken to strategically circumvent or bypass regulations. Ludwig AI confirms its grammatical correctness and suitability across various contexts. While generally neutral in tone, its usage can range from describing innovative problem-solving to potentially unethical maneuvering. When using this phrase, it's crucial to consider the context and implications, ensuring it accurately reflects the intended meaning. Alternatives like "skirt the regulations" or "bypass the guidelines" can provide nuance and precision.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

skirt the regulations

Implies narrowly avoiding the direct application of rules.

bypass the guidelines

Suggests finding a way around the intended process or rules.

circumvent the restrictions

Indicates finding a clever way to overcome limitations imposed by rules.

evade the requirements

Suggests strategically avoiding certain mandatory criteria.

get around the regulations

Informal way of saying finding a way to not be bound by the rules.

bend the rules

Suggests manipulating rules without technically breaking them.

sidestep the stipulations

Implies moving to the side to avoid direct contact with the rules.

flout the regulations

Means openly disregarding or disobeying rules.

disregard the norms

Focuses on ignoring established standards of behavior or procedure.

breach the protocols

Involves violating specific, often formal, procedures.

FAQs

How can I use "avoid the rules" in a sentence?

You can use "avoid the rules" to describe a situation where someone is finding a way to not be bound by the rules. Example: "Companies sometimes restructure their operations to avoid the rules and regulations of a specific country."

What's a more formal alternative to "avoid the rules"?

For more formal contexts, consider using phrases like "circumvent the regulations" or "bypass the guidelines".

Is it always negative to "avoid the rules"?

Not necessarily. While it can imply unethical behavior, "avoid the rules" can also describe innovative problem-solving or finding efficient ways to achieve a goal within legal boundaries.

How does "avoid the rules" differ from "break the rules"?

"Avoid the rules" suggests finding legal or technical loopholes to not be bound by a rule, whereas "break the rules" implies direct violation of a rule. "Avoid the rules" suggests a certain degree of cleverness.