beat around the bush

idiom

Meaning

Avoiding the main topic or delaying speaking directly about an uncomfortable subject.

Examples

Stop beating around the bush and tell me exactly how much this project will cost.
She kept beating around the bush during the meeting, making it difficult to understand her actual position.

Synonyms: evade, hedge, equivocate

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beat around the bush

idiom

Pronunciation: /biːt əˈraʊnd ðə bʊʃ/

Definition

Avoiding the main topic or delaying speaking directly about an uncomfortable subject.

Examples

Stop beating around the bush and tell me exactly how much this project will cost.
She kept beating around the bush during the meeting, making it difficult to understand her actual position.
If you have bad news, just say it; there is no need to beat around the bush.

Synonyms of beat around the bush

Words with a similar meaning to beat around the bush:

Antonyms of beat around the bush

Words with the opposite meaning to beat around the bush:

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