dodged

USAGE SUMMARY

The word 'dodged' is correct and usable in written English.
It is usually used to indicate that someone was able to avoid a potentially dangerous or difficult situation. For example, "I quickly dodged the oncoming car."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

They dodged questions about the letter, and said that they were "part activists, part artists".

The Guardian - Music

Here's a look back at how Warren has dodged the will-she-or-won't-she question and made her way to an almost, possibly, maybe definitive answer.

The Guardian

Putin, Snowden writes, "denied the first part of the question and dodged on the latter".

The Guardian

In his response, Putin denied the first part of the question and dodged on the latter.

The Guardian - Opinion

All the same, you can sense a kind of muted sadness at the change that was forced upon him, and it's this very reserve that makes his regret moving: a man with a more cynical sense of audience, you feel, might have dodged the bullet.

The Guardian

Brown also repeatedly dodged questions about whether Darling would remain in his post in the forthcoming cabinet reshuffle, which some reports have suggested could come as early as Friday.

The Guardian

Michael Vaughan, who appears to have dodged a bullet in leaving the field clear for his successor as captain Strauss to become England cricket director, said then that the side could go on to dominate like West Indies in the 1970s and 80s or Australia in the 90s.

The Guardian - Sport

Baraka largely dodged the fighting: it is a commercial town with a long history of trading, and prefers to keep its nose down – a city of businessmen, and of many nationalities.

The Guardian

Hillary Clinton, the Democratic frontrunner, dodged the will-she-won't-she question for months.

The Guardian

Both were doctors, but as educated people they, along with their families, were duly despatched to the dreaded Tuol Sleng or S-21 prison, of whose total of 17,000 inmates only a dozen emerged alive.On October 31st Mr Nuon Chea expressed remorse for the suffering under the Khmer Rouge but dodged any personal responsibility.

The Economist

Coupled with a third recent change the restructuring of the arms-export industry—it all shows that Mr Putin is at least grappling with difficult questions that Russia has dodged for ten years.But basic questions still hang over the future of the Russian armed forces.

The Economist

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "dodged" when you want to emphasize a quick or skillful avoidance of something potentially harmful or undesirable. It implies agility and a reactive response.

Common error

While "dodged" is versatile, it can sound informal in highly professional or academic writing. Consider alternatives like "avoided" or "circumvented" for a more serious tone.

Linguistic Context

The primary grammatical function of "dodged" is as the past tense and past participle of the verb 'dodge'. It describes the action of avoiding something, either physically or metaphorically, as supported by Ludwig's examples.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

55%

Formal & Business

25%

Science

10%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

3%

Wiki

2%

Reference

5%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "dodged" functions primarily as the past tense and past participle of 'dodge', indicating an act of avoidance. Ludwig AI identifies it as grammatically correct and very common, particularly in News & Media and Formal & Business contexts. While versatile, using synonyms like "evaded" or "circumvented" may be more appropriate for formal writing. Remember, "dodged" implies a quick, reactive avoidance, perfect for emphasizing agility in escaping unwanted situations.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

evaded

Similar to "dodged", but often implies a more deliberate or skillful act of avoidance.

avoided

A general term for keeping away from something, less active than "dodged".

sidestepped

Suggests moving to the side to avoid something, often used in the context of questions or responsibilities.

skirted around

Implies avoiding the main point or issue, often in a discussion.

circumvented

Suggests finding a way around an obstacle or rule, often cleverly.

bypassed

Similar to circumvented but often implies a more official or recognized route around something.

steered clear of

Indicates a deliberate effort to avoid something, often something negative.

ducked

A more physical avoidance, like dodging a thrown object, or also avoiding a responsibility.

eluded

Implies escaping or avoiding detection, often used when something is hard to catch.

fudged

Suggests avoiding directness or honesty, often in answering a question or dealing with a problem.

FAQs

How can I use "dodged" in a sentence?

You can use "dodged" to describe physically avoiding something, like "He dodged the incoming ball", or metaphorically, like "She dodged the difficult question".

What can I say instead of "dodged"?

You can use alternatives like "evaded", "avoided", or "sidestepped" depending on the context.

When is it appropriate to use "dodged" versus "avoided"?

"Dodged" implies a quicker, more reactive avoidance, while "avoided" is a more general term for keeping away from something. Use "dodged" when agility or quick thinking is involved.

Is "dodged" formal or informal?

"Dodged" is generally considered neutral but can lean towards informal, especially in metaphorical uses. For formal writing, consider alternatives like "evaded" or "circumvented".