skirt around
Avoid dealing with
To skirt around something is to avoid it by going along its edge rather than through it: We skirted around the lake.
More often the phrase is figurative—evading a difficult topic or obligation: He kept skirting around the real issue.
The "around" is sometimes dropped: She skirted the question entirely.
- circumventAvoid by going around
- avoidStay away from
- evadeEscape by cunning
- sidestepEvade by moving aside
- bypassRoute that skirts obstacles
steer clear of · gloss over · paper over · deflect · equivocate · euphemize · dodge · obscure · hedge · shirk · veil · elude · shy away from · skate over · detour · omit · imply · hint
physical path/trajectory
skirt aroundgo through
Experience or endure fully
pass through · cut through · traverse · cross · plow through