French word

contourner

Pronunciation

IPA/kɔ̃tuʁne/

Meaning

  • verbgo around

Example

Nous devons contourner la route fermée.

We have to go around the closed road.

Illustration for contourner (go around)

More examples

Elle a contourné une question délicate pendant la réunion.

She dodged a delicate question during the meeting.

Core concept

Moving around the outside of a barrier instead of going straight through it, physically or figuratively.

Common phrases

  • contourner une question

    dodge a question

  • contourner un problème

    circumvent a problem

  • contourner les règles

    circumvent the rules

Similar words

éviter: Keep away from an undesirable situation, person, or action.
esquiver: Skillfully evade a direct question or contact.
détourner: Redirect something from its original purpose or direction.

Definition in French

Éviter un obstacle, une question ou une règle en adoptant une solution ou un chemin détourné ; peut désigner un déplacement concret comme une manœuvre figurée.

Word origin

French contourner comes from Old French contourner and ultimately Latin contornare, built on the idea of turning around something.

Usage tips

  • Contourner takes a direct object without a preposition, as in contourner la route fermée or contourner une règle.

Other meanings

  • avoidverb
  • evadeverb

Opposites

Related words

  • contournementcircumventionnoun
  • contournablecircumventableadjective

Word lists with this word