Thesaurus results for PUSSYFOOTING

pussyfooting

verb

present participle of pussyfoot

as in weaseling

to avoid giving a definite answer or position politicians who try to pussyfoot around hot-button issues

Synonyms & Similar Words

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as in lurking

to move about in a sly or secret manner pussyfooting through the hallways in the middle of the night

Synonyms & Similar Words

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of pussyfooting Fragments of story are fed to us, but there’s no forward thrust, just a lot of pussyfooting around. — Theater Critic, Los Angeles Times, 22 Apr. 2026 Alright Genesis, the time for pussyfooting is over. — New Atlas, 2 Apr. 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for pussyfooting

Verb

The tournament’s special status — its unwillingness to place any person above the sport — is part of why Williams wanted to play singles, not just doubles with her sister Venus, after waffling on the decision.

— Ava Wallace, New York Times, 30 June 2026
Nothing kills momentum faster than waffling on a big decision.

— Rolling Stone Culture Council, Rolling Stone, 23 Feb. 2026

Definition of waffling

Verb

The ballista spider spends its days lurking in webs on the undersides of leaves in the rainforests of north Queensland, Australia.

— The Week UK, TheWeek, 6 July 2026
But after his imprisonment, Lilburne’s Proposition became the defining cause of the radical Leveller movement, which subsequently dedicated itself to unlocking all of the revolutionary possibilities lurking in the word equal.

— Teresa M. Bejan, The Atlantic, 3 July 2026

Definition of lurking

Verb

Just a few weeks into the war, one of the Persian Gulf’s top oil producers quietly began sneaking its crude out of the Strait of Hormuz.

— Weilun Soon, Fortune, 5 July 2026
But neither those measures nor Friday’s sizzling temperatures stopped fans from gathering in hopes of sneaking a peak at their longtime idol and sending Swift their well wishes.

— Karen Garcia, Los Angeles Times, 3 July 2026

Definition of sneaking

Verb

Cabrera allowed four runs on four hits and two walks in 4⅓ innings and the Padres piled on against Arizona’s bullpen in slipping ahead of the Diamondbacks in the wild-card race.

— Jeff Sanders, San Diego Union-Tribune, 9 July 2026
But instead of slipping into fixer mode, reflect on what the situation is exposing to you about an emotional pattern.

— Valerie Mesa, PEOPLE, 8 July 2026

Definition of slipping

Verb

The sequence started with Bosnian defender Stjepan Radeljic sliding in front of a Tillman pass, deflecting it forward toward Muharemovic.

— Kevin Baxter, Los Angeles Times, 2 July 2026
Some providers might work on a sliding fee scale, for example, which adjusts cost based on a patient’s household income and family size.

— Michelle Marchante, Miami Herald, 2 July 2026

Definition of sliding

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pussyfooted

pussyfooting

pussyfoots

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“Pussyfooting.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pussyfooting. Accessed 9 Jul. 2026.

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Synonyms of pussyfooting

verb

Example Sentences

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