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Definitions

beg the question

VERB
equivocate
Synonyms
STRONG
cavil dodge elude escape eschew evade falsify fence fib flip-flop fudge hedge jive lie palter parry prevaricate pussyfoot quibble shuck shuffle sidestep stonewall tergiversate waffle
WEAK
beat around the bush blow hot and cold cloud the issue cop a plea cop out cover up double-talk give the runaround hem and haw mince words pass the buck run around sit on the fence tell white lie tergiverse weasel
Antonyms
STRONG
be honest confront encounter face meet release take on tell the truth
WEAK
speak on
VERB
evade
Synonyms
STRONGEST
avoid bypass circumvent conceal deceive dodge elude escape fend off flee get around hide sidestep
STRONG
baffle balk cavil confuse decline double duck equivocate eschew fence fly fudge hedge lie parry pretend prevaricate pussyfoot shift shirk shuck shuffle shun shy tergiversate trick waffle
WEAK
beat around bush cop out give the runaround keep distance lay low lead on a merry chase pass up put off slip slip out sneak away steer clear of weasel
Antonyms
STRONGEST
confront disclose divulge encounter expose face lay bare let out meet open reveal show stay tell uncover
STRONG
accept aid be honest clear up enlighten explain help order organize release remain tell the truth
WEAK
take on
VERB
hem and haw
Synonyms
WEAK
back and fill beat around the bush dance around equivocate euphemize fudge and mudge hum and haw mince words shilly-shally tapdance
VERB
prevaricate
Synonyms
STRONG
belie cavil con distort dodge equivocate evade exaggerate fabricate falsify fib garble hedge invent jive lie misrepresent misspeak palter quibble shift shuffle tergiversate
WEAK
beat around the bush phony up put on
Antonyms
STRONG
be honest confront face meet order tell the truth

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

“It will beg the question of the senior staff, why are you here? Why do we need to promote you? Why do you need a raise when you’re flaunting things like that?”

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 7, 2026

Disney’s initial skepticism and the scene’s sheer impact on food both beg the question: How did one of the messiest foods imaginable become shorthand for romance?

From Salon • Feb. 14, 2026

It may not quite beg the question of whether Liverpool actually need to make such a lavish outlay on another striker, but it will give Slot a conundrum to solve.

From BBC • Aug. 15, 2025

Yet they beg the question: Wouldn’t it be easier to ditch milk, cheese, and beef for plant-based alternatives?

From Scientific American • Nov. 7, 2023

This might seem to beg the question of how the ball got rolling in the first place—the ‘first cause’.

From "The Scientists" by John Gribbin