sidestep the difficulty

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "sidestep the difficulty" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it when referring to avoiding or circumventing a challenge or problem. Example: "In order to meet the deadline, we decided to sidestep the difficulty of the complex regulations."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

2 human-written examples

This interpretation seems to sidestep the difficulty.

SEP

Roumeliotis hopes to sidestep the difficulty of acquiring customers by working through phone providers that are already giving businesses a phone number.

TechCrunch

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

58 human-written examples

Wheeldon does not sidestep the difficulties.

The New Yorker

The extra energy required would reduce a state-of-the-art supercritical plant's overall efficiency by about 10%, according to the IEA .Oxy-fuel" plants sIEA .Oxy-fuelifficulties of seplantsng oxygen and nitrogen in the flue gasidestepning coal in pure oxygen rather than air.

The Economist

They should try again, because a new approach sidesteps the difficulties associated with large-scale ABC implementation.

Harvard Business Review

But in its push into China, Softbank has avoided many of these headaches by focusing on e-commerce, local social networking sites and online games — sidestepping the difficulties of government censorship.

The New York Times - Tech

They should try again, because the new approach we lay out in the following pages sidesteps the difficulties traditionally associated with large-scale ABC implementation by relying on informed managerial estimates rather than on employee surveys.

Harvard Business Review

The genius of Krucoff's plan is to sidestep all the difficulties, political and constitutional, of creating a new state, or state equivalent, out of the District, and instead to simply allow its people to share the representation Maryland already has.

The Washington Post

The professors largely sidestep this difficulty.

The New York Times

In this way we have developed a new paradigm in clinical mitochondrial disease assessment and management that sidesteps the perennial difficulty of ascribing a discrete clinical phenotype to a broad multi-dimensional and progressive spectrum of disease, establishing a framework to allow better understanding of disease progression.

Brain

Sean Raymond, now at the University of Colorado in Boulder, and his colleagues sidestep this difficulty by performing multiple simulations of planet formation in four solar systems known to contain gas-giant planets similar to Jupiter.

Nature

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "sidestep the difficulty", ensure the context clearly indicates the method or strategy being employed to avoid the problem. Specificity enhances clarity.

Common error

Avoid using "sidestep the difficulty" in highly formal or academic writing where more precise and technical vocabulary may be expected. Consider alternatives like "mitigate" or "circumvent" in such contexts.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "sidestep the difficulty" functions as a verb phrase, where "sidestep" is the verb and "the difficulty" is the object. It describes an action taken to avoid or bypass a problem.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

33%

Science

33%

Formal & Business

16%

Less common in

Academia

8%

Wiki

8%

Encyclopedias

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "sidestep the difficulty" is a grammatically sound and understandable expression used to describe the act of avoiding a problem or challenge. As confirmed by Ludwig AI, its usage is correct and discernible across varied sources like news outlets, science publications, and business articles. While not exceedingly common, its appearance in respected publications suggests its acceptability in various professional settings. When considering alternatives, it's best to align the replacement with the specific nuance you intend to convey. Keep in mind context and formality to achieve desired impact.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

bypass the challenge

Emphasizes a direct route around the obstacle, suggesting a simpler solution.

circumvent the obstacle

Suggests using ingenuity or strategy to avoid a direct confrontation with the issue.

get around the problem

Suggests finding a way to achieve a goal despite the existence of the difficulty.

evade the problem

Highlights avoidance, potentially implying a temporary or incomplete solution.

navigate around the challenge

Emphasizes careful maneuvering and planning to avoid the most difficult parts of the problem.

avoid the complication

Focuses on preventing a situation from becoming complex or troublesome.

dodge the issue

Implies a quick or nimble movement to avoid addressing the difficulty directly.

steer clear of the problem

Implies cautious avoidance, perhaps due to potential negative consequences.

mitigate the difficulty

Focuses on reducing the severity or impact of the difficulty, rather than avoiding it entirely.

obviate the need

Indicates the removal of the necessity to deal with a difficult situation at all.

FAQs

How can I use "sidestep the difficulty" in a sentence?

You can use "sidestep the difficulty" to indicate avoiding a problem or challenge. For example, "In order to meet the deadline, we decided to "bypass the challenge" of the complex regulations".

What can I say instead of "sidestep the difficulty"?

You can use alternatives such as "avoid the problem", "circumvent the obstacle", or "get around the issue", depending on the specific nuance you want to convey.

Which is correct: "sidestep the difficulty" or "sidestep the difficulties"?

Both are grammatically correct, but "sidestep the difficulty" refers to a specific problem, while "sidestep the difficulties" refers to multiple or general problems.

What's the difference between "sidestep the difficulty" and "address the difficulty"?

"Sidestep the difficulty" means to avoid it, while "address the difficulty" means to confront and resolve it. They are opposite approaches to handling a problem.