Dodge is a word with a few related meanings. It can mean to avoidkeep away from something or prevent dealing with it a question, duty, or issue, or it can describe a quick movement to get out of the way. As a noun, it can also mean a trick or evasiveintended to avoid giving a direct answer or clear response tactica planned method used to achieve a goal or gain advantage.
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: accurate. Checked: 2026-10-15. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.
Pronunciation
AI-generated pronunciation audio (OpenAI).
Accent: General American English
IPA: /dɑdʒ/
Easy pronunciation: DAHJ (approximate spelling).
Stress: One syllable; stress is on the whole word.
Verb sense: to avoid something on purpose, especially a question, duty, or problem.
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: uncertain — manual review needed. Checked: 2026-10-15. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.
Dodge Meaning
to avoid something on purpose, especially a question, duty, or problem
Part of speech: verb
Definition: avoid or try to avoid answering, dealing with, or doing something
Example: He dodged the issue.
Synonyms for this meaning:
- evade — A close substitute when someone avoids an answer or responsibility.
- sidestep — Works well when someone avoids a direct answer or difficult issue.
- duck — Common in informal English for avoiding a question or responsibility.
- fudge — Used when someone gives a vague or misleading answer to avoid the truth.
- hedge — Often means to answer indirectly to avoid committing oneself.
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: accurate. Checked: 2026-10-15. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.
Other Meanings of Dodge
Meaning 2
to move quickly aside to avoid being hit or caught
Part of speech: verb
Definition: make a sudden movement in a new direction so as to avoid something
Example: The child dodged the teacher's blow.
Synonyms for this meaning:
- duck — Fits when the movement is a quick physical movement to get out of the way.
- dodge — This is the core verb sense itself, often used as the base form for this action.
Meaning 3
to move around in a twisting or irregular way
Part of speech: verb
Definition: move to and fro or from place to place usually in an irregular course
Example: The pickpocket dodged through the crowd.
Meaning 4
a trick or scheme meant to deceive or get around something
Part of speech: noun
Definition: an elaborate or deceitful scheme contrived to deceive or evade
Example: The plan was just a dodge to avoid the rules.
Synonyms for this meaning:
- contrivance — A planned device or trick; works as a noun in this sense.
- stratagem — A clever scheme used to gain an advantage or evade something.
Meaning 5
an evasive answer or clever excuse
Part of speech: noun
Definition: a statement that evades the question by cleverness or trickery
Example: That reply was just a dodge.
Synonyms for this meaning:
- dodging — Related in form, but less direct as a noun substitute; can fit as an evasive tactic or line of talk.
- scheme — Can work when the answer is really part of a trick, but it is broader and less exact.
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: inaccurate — correction needed. Checked: 2026-10-15. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.
Dodge Synonyms
Similar Meaning
- evade
- sidestep
quick evasive movement
- duck
deceitful scheme or trick
- contrivance
- stratagem
evasive statement or excuse
- dodging
- scheme
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: inaccurate — correction needed. Checked: 2026-10-15. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.
Common Mistakes
- Using dodge only for physical movement and forgetting its common figurative meaning.
- Mixing up dodge with duck: duck can be a synonym for the physical sense, but not usually for avoiding a question.
- Using synonym choices from one sense for another, especially the noun senses.
- Treating scheme or contrivance as if they were everyday synonyms for the verb dodge.
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: accurate. Checked: 2026-10-15. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does dodge mean in everyday English?
Most often, dodge means to avoid something, especially a question, issue, or responsibility, or to move quickly out of the way.
Is dodge a verb or a noun?
It can be both. As a verb, it means to avoid or move away quickly. As a noun, it can mean a trick, scheme, or evasive remark.
What is a good synonym for dodge?
For the main verb sense, evade and sidestep are the closest strong synonyms. For the physical sense, duck can also work.
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: accurate. Checked: 2026-10-15. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.