dance around
phrasal verb·1 sense·particle around
Meanings
Avoid a topic by being evasive
Why “around”? The path bends to avoid an obstacle instead of passing through it.
“The minister danced around the question.”
“The mayor danced around the budget question.”
Test yourself
“The minister danced around the question.” What does it mean?
Nearby in the meaning map
Sink In connects verbs by particle pattern, contrast pairs, and shared base verbs.
beat around
Same around pattern: avoiding
Avoid the main point by being indirect (beat around the bush)
get around
Same around pattern: avoiding
Avoid a rule or difficulty; Travel or move about; (of news) become widely known; Find time to do something
go around
Same around pattern: avoiding
Take a longer path to avoid something; Move in a circular path; Be enough for everyone in a group; Behave in a particular way habitually; (of an illness) be common in a community
manoeuvre around
Same around pattern: avoiding
Steer skilfully around an obstacle
skirt around
Same around pattern: avoiding
Avoid by detouring round the edge
talk around
Same around pattern: avoiding
Discuss without addressing directly
work around
Same around pattern: avoiding
Find a way past an obstacle
Sink In — iOS & Android
Practice “dance around” in Sink In
Drill “dance around” and 1,300+ other phrasal verbs with spaced repetition, organised by the particle patterns that connect them.
- Learn the pattern behind dozens of verbs at once — not one-off translations.
- Spaced repetition (SM-2) brings each meaning back right before you forget.
- Four practice modes train recall and discrimination, not just recognition.
