sidestep responsibility

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "sidestep responsibility" is correct and can be used in written English.
It means to avoid or evade taking responsibility for something. Example: The politician tried to sidestep responsibility for the scandal by shifting the blame to his subordinates.

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Formal & Business

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

3 human-written examples

In her opening statement, she said Jahar would not "sidestep responsibility" for the attacks, but that "it was Tamerlan Tsarnaev who self-radicalised; it was Jahar who followed him".

The Guardian

He rejected the defense's suggestions that Tamerlan was the mastermind as "an attempt to sidestep responsibility, not to accept responsibility".

Los Angeles Times

Much of the job growth in the Inland Empire comes from warehouses operated by subcontractors for companies such as Wal-Mart, Macy's and Kohl's, on terms that may allow the big employers to dictate the workload but sidestep responsibility for working conditions.

Los Angeles Times

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

55 human-written examples

"They have sidestepped responsibility to properly apologise for things, putting it on p53 in a tiny paragraph that only Sherlock Holmes could find".

The Guardian

The moves came in recent days in response to articles last week in The New York Times that reported how some major railroad companies had sidestepped responsibility in grade-crossing accidents.

The New York Times

NATIONAL REPORTING Walt Bogdanich The New York Times The judges honored Mr. Bogdanich for his series "Death on the Tracks," which revealed that some major railroad companies sidestepped responsibility for grade-crossing fatalities by destroying or losing evidence and failing to report hundreds of accidents, and also showed the ineffective oversight by government regulators.

The New York Times

IT'S HARD TO IMAGINE EVEN THE SLIMIEST USED-CAR salesman sidestepping responsibility as completely as Microsoft does in licensing its Web browser.

Forbes

The subject matter becomes irrelevant as the emotionally abusive partner sidesteps responsibility at all cost".

Huffington Post

Putting Safety Check activation in this protective, semi-algorithmic swaddling means the company can cushion itself from blame when the feature is (or is not) activated — since it's not making case-by-case decisions itself — yet also (apparently) sidestep the responsibility for its technology enabling widespread algorithmic stress.

TechCrunch

But in doing so, we sidestep taking responsibility.

Huffington Post

This manipulative sidestep shirked responsibility for the thousands of Israelis murdered by Palestinian terrorists, as well as decades of Palestinians' delegitimizing Israel and spurning compromise.

Huffington Post

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "sidestep responsibility", consider the specific nuance you want to convey. Alternatives like "evade" or "shirk" might be more appropriate depending on whether the avoidance is intentional or due to negligence.

Common error

Ensure the subject of "sidestep responsibility" is clearly defined. Vague wording can create confusion about who is avoiding accountability.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "sidestep responsibility" functions as a verb phrase. Ludwig AI indicates the phrase is grammatically correct. It describes the act of avoiding or evading accountability.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

60%

Formal & Business

20%

Science

20%

Less common in

Wiki

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Academia

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "sidestep responsibility" is a grammatically sound and semantically charged expression used to describe the act of evading accountability. Ludwig AI confirms its validity. While relatively infrequent, the phrase is commonly found in news and media contexts where it serves to highlight actions of avoidance and assign blame. Alternatives include "shun responsibility" and "evade responsibility". When employing this phrase, ensure clarity regarding the subject and the specific nature of the responsibility being avoided.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

shun responsibility

Emphasizes deliberately avoiding responsibility, often due to moral or ethical reasons.

evade responsibility

Focuses on escaping or dodging responsibility through cunning or কৌশল.

dodge responsibility

Implies quick or evasive movements to avoid being held accountable.

avoid responsibility

A general term for keeping away from responsibility.

shirk responsibility

Suggests neglecting or failing to fulfill one's responsibility.

disclaim responsibility

Formally denying any responsibility or obligation.

circumvent responsibility

Implies using clever strategies to avoid responsibility without technically breaking any rules.

abdicate responsibility

Suggests formally relinquishing or abandoning one's duty or responsibility.

abandon responsibility

Implies leaving responsibility for someone else.

duck responsibility

Similar to dodge, implying a sudden movement to avoid blame.

FAQs

What does "sidestep responsibility" mean?

The phrase "sidestep responsibility" means to avoid or evade accountability for something, often by কৌশলে or shifting blame.

How can I use "sidestep responsibility" in a sentence?

Example: "The company attempted to sidestep responsibility for the environmental damage caused by the oil spill."

What are some alternatives to "sidestep responsibility"?

You can use alternatives like "shun responsibility", "evade responsibility", or "avoid responsibility" depending on the specific context.

Is "sidestep responsibility" a formal or informal phrase?

The phrase "sidestep responsibility" is suitable for both formal and informal contexts, although it is more commonly found in news and media reporting.