dodge

1 of 2

noun

1
: an act of evading by sudden bodily movement
2
a
: an artful device to evade, deceive, or trick
b

dodge

2 of 2

verb

dodged; dodging

intransitive verb

1
a
: to move to and fro or from place to place usually in an irregular course
dodged through the crowd
b
: to make a sudden movement in a new direction (as to evade a blow)
dodged behind the door
2
: to evade a responsibility or duty especially by trickery or deceit

transitive verb

1
a
: to evade by a sudden or repeated shift of position
dodge tacklers
b
: to avoid an encounter with
celebrities dodging the media
2
: to evade (something, such as a duty) usually indirectly or by trickery
dodged the draft by leaving the country
dodged questions
Phrases
dodge a bullet or less commonly dodge the bullet
: to narrowly avoid an unwelcome, harmful, or disastrous outcome or occurrence
coastal towns dodged a bullet when the hurricane veered out to sea

Examples of dodge in a Sentence

Noun It was just another dodge to get out of working. just another dodge to get out of working in the yard Verb He dodged the first punch but was hit by the second. She dodged through the crowds as she hurried home. We dodged between the cars as we raced across the street. They managed to dodge the reporters by leaving through the back exit. She accused him of dodging his responsibilities as a parent.
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Noun
Reality check: Despite the dodges, Harris has stated some of her policy priorities — namely to boost security on the Southwest border, put more limitations on asylum, and bring down the costs of food and housing. Alex Thompson, Axios, 3 Nov. 2024 But that artful dodge soon got complicated as a new controversy erupted over comments from Biden. Niall Stanage, The Hill, 30 Oct. 2024
Verb
Trump has dodged questions on whether the U.S. would come to the aid of Taiwan if China invaded. Eleanor Watson, CBS News, 2 Nov. 2024 Not least because this will now dodge the curse of being a Netflix live-action adaptation. Ollie Barder, Forbes, 1 Nov. 2024 See all Example Sentences for dodge 

Word History

Etymology

Noun

origin unknown

First Known Use

Noun

1575, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

1680, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of dodge was in 1575

Dictionary Entries Near dodge

Cite this Entry

“Dodge.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/dodge. Accessed 23 Nov. 2024.

Kids Definition

dodge

1 of 2 noun
1
: an act of avoiding by sudden bodily movement
2
: a sly means of avoiding, deceiving, or tricking
just another dodge to get out of working
dodger noun

dodge

2 of 2 verb
dodged; dodging
1
a
: to move suddenly aside or to and fro
dodging through the crowd
b
: to avoid by moving quickly aside
dodge a blow
2
: evade sense 1
dodged the question

Biographical Definition

Dodge

biographical name

Mary Elizabeth 1831–1905 née Mapes ˈmāps How to pronounce Dodge (audio) American author

More from Merriam-Webster on dodge

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!