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circumvention meaning and examples

2025-09-22

Meaning

Circumvention is a noun that means the act of avoiding a rule, law, or restriction by using clever but often dishonest or indirect methods. It often suggests going around an obstacle rather than confronting it directly.

Grammar and Usage

  • Part of speech: Noun

  • Related verb: circumvent (to avoid or get around something)

  • Common structure:

    • circumvention of + rule/law/restriction
    • engage in circumvention

Example: The circumvention of tax laws is a serious offense.

Common Phrases

  • circumvention of the law
  • circumvention of rules
  • tax circumvention
  • technological circumvention

Collocations

  • illegal circumvention
  • deliberate circumvention
  • attempted circumvention
  • prevent circumvention
  • engage in circumvention

Examples

  1. The company was accused of the circumvention of safety regulations.
  2. New measures were introduced to prevent the circumvention of tax laws.
  3. Hackers developed software for the circumvention of security systems.
  4. The treaty includes a clause to stop the circumvention of international rules.
  5. His actions were seen as a clever circumvention of the official process.
  6. The government punished the bank for deliberate circumvention of sanctions.
  7. She relied on the circumvention of legal loopholes to gain advantage.
  • evasion
  • bypass
  • avoidance
  • sidestepping
  • workaround

Antonym

  • compliance
  • adherence
  • observance