circumvent the question

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "circumvent the question" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used when discussing someone avoiding or evading a direct answer to a question. Example: "During the interview, the candidate seemed to circumvent the question about their previous job experience."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

2 human-written examples

Read in its entirety, the opinion could, in essence, circumvent the question of fairness.

The New York Times

It allows one to circumvent the question of technological choices for loading and processing of the data.

BioMed Research International

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

56 human-written examples

Not surprisingly, the traditional concept of the RNA world has circumvented the question of exploiting the external energy fluxes.

Biology Direct

My Generation now comes with an odd, slow little coda in place of the old explosive, Keith Moon-fuendingending that's presumably there to circumvent the inevitable question of what a 71-year-old man is doing singing the line about hoping he dies before he gets old: "My generation, we're still here today".

The Guardian - Music

The concept may sound useful, but it is easily circumvented, raising the question of who would be thwarted by it, even in a state of diminished cognitive capacity.

The New York Times

This issue might be circumvented when the question is whether or not to invest in new initiatives which do not (or may not) have an established and organized constituency (III:5).

BMC Health Services Research

In an industrial context where the simulation of the products behavior has become impossible to circumvent, it rises the question of the knowledge necessary to the realization of these simulations and of the knowledge to be transmitted within the framework of the initial training and the adult continuing education to the simulation of product behavior.

Mécanique & Industries

The four dissenters in Everson are prophetic when they complain that if the establishment clause can be circumvented by recasting the question as "promoting the general cause of education" rather than as securing the separation of church and state, there is no constitutional bar to the state's affording "full appropriation for support of private, religious schools".

The New York Times

Written in the wake of the discoveries and theories of Cuvier, Buffon, Geoffroy, and Lamarck, in which Balzac took a lively interest, Passion circumvents direct engagement with the question of animals' commonalities with humans, raised in its first section, by switching in its second section to the story of one man's struggle to survive in a distant land.

Evolution: Education and Outreach

Then there's the question of circumventing a user to notify their physician.

Vice

Others circumvented this problem by reframing the question: "… when I saw walking, I just kind of took it as wheeling… I'll just say wheeling instead, I don't mind crossing that off and putting that so that the person who gets it back sees it" (FG2).

Health and Quality of Life Outcomes

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "circumvent the question" when you want to convey the idea of strategically avoiding a direct answer or a complex issue. Be mindful of the context and ensure it aligns with the intended meaning of evasion or avoidance.

Common error

Avoid using "circumvent the question" when you actually mean to say that the question was answered incompletely or vaguely, but not necessarily avoided. "Circumvent" implies a deliberate act of avoidance rather than a lack of clarity.

Linguistic Context

The primary grammatical function of "circumvent the question" is as a verb phrase where 'circumvent' acts as a transitive verb taking 'the question' as its direct object. Ludwig AI examples show its use in expressing avoidance of a topic or inquiry.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

60%

Science

30%

Formal & Business

10%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Social Media

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "circumvent the question" is a phrase used to describe the act of strategically avoiding a direct answer or topic. Ludwig AI confirms it is grammatically correct and suitable for use in both news and scientific contexts, although it is relatively rare. When writing, be aware of its connotation of deliberate evasion. Related alternatives include "evade the inquiry" and "dodge the issue". The phrase is most common in News & Media.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

evade the inquiry

Focuses on avoiding the question, possibly through cleverness or deception.

dodge the issue

Implies skillfully avoiding a difficult question or problem.

sidestep the matter

Suggests moving to the side to avoid confronting something directly.

bypass the problem

Emphasizes finding a route that avoids the problem altogether.

skirt around the problem

Implies dealing with something indirectly and avoiding the core issue.

avoid addressing the concern

Highlights the deliberate act of not dealing with a specific worry or problem.

find a workaround for the problem

Stresses discovering a method to overcome an obstacle or difficulty.

get around the issue

Suggests finding a way to overcome an obstacle or restriction.

obviate the need to answer

Emphasizes making it unnecessary to provide a direct answer.

get out of answering

Focuses on escaping the responsibility of providing a response.

FAQs

What does "circumvent the question" mean?

It means to avoid answering a question directly, often through কৌশল or cleverness. It implies finding a way around the question without giving a straight answer.

How can I use "circumvent the question" in a sentence?

You might say, "The politician attempted to "circumvent the question" about their tax returns by talking about the economy."

What are some alternatives to "circumvent the question"?

Alternatives include "evade the question", "dodge the issue", or "sidestep the matter".

Is "circumvent the question" formal or informal?

It's generally considered neutral, suitable for both formal and informal contexts, though it might be more common in analytical or journalistic writing.