pussyfoot

verb

pussy·​foot ˈpu̇-sē-ˌfu̇t How to pronounce pussyfoot (audio)
pussyfooted; pussyfooting; pussyfoots
Synonyms of pussyfootnext

intransitive verb

1
: to tread or move warily or stealthily
2
: to refrain from committing oneself
pussyfooter noun

Synonyms

See All Synonyms & Antonyms in Thesaurus

Examples of pussyfoot in a Sentence

He should stop pussyfooting and tell us what he wants to do. politicians who try to pussyfoot around hot-button issues
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.
Delivering the News Dear Delivering: Here’s how: Stop pussyfooting around the subject and be completely honest with your mother. — Abigail Van Buren, Boston Herald, 8 Feb. 2025 No less than Werner Herzog remade Murnau’s masterpiece in 1979, starring Klaus Kinski as the bald-headed bloodsucker; rather than pussyfoot around the whole rip-off-or-not aspect, the former doubles down and names the character Count Dracula. — David Fear, Rolling Stone, 23 Dec. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1903, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of pussyfoot was in 1903

Rhymes for pussyfoot

See All Rhymes for pussyfoot

Browse Nearby Words

pussy clover
pussyfoot
pussy-paw
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Pussyfoot.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pussyfoot. Accessed 31 Mar. 2025.

Copy Citation

Share

Kids Definition

pussyfoot

verb
pussy·​foot -ˌfu̇t How to pronounce pussyfoot (audio)
1
: to walk or move in a careful or sneaky manner
2
: to avoid taking a firm stand (as in a dispute)
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!

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

How to Use Em Dashes (—), En Dashes (–) , and Hyphens (-)

The Difference Between 'i.e.' and 'e.g.'

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

Words You Always Have to Look Up

Democracy or Republic: What's the difference?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

Top 10 Sophisticated Insults

Flower Etymologies For Your Spring Garden

More Words with Remarkable Origins

Terroir, Oenophile, & Magnum: Ten Words About Wine

8 Words for Lesser-Known Musical Instruments
See More

Popular

See More

How to Use Em Dashes (—), En Dashes (–) , and Hyphens (-)

Top 10 Sophisticated Insults

Flower Etymologies For Your Spring Garden
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Word Game Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
burrowing owl athene cunicularia tilts its head outside its burrow on marco island florida
Guess the Curious Origins of These Everyday Words Oh, that’s where that comes from…
See All