Definition, Meaning & Synonyms

beat-around-the-bush

idiom
/bi:t əˈraʊnd ðə bʊʃ/
Definition
To avoid talking about the main topic or issue.
Examples
  • Stop beating around the bush and tell me what you really think.
  • During the meeting, he kept beating around the bush instead of addressing the problem directly.
Meaning
This phrase is used when someone is not being direct, often discussing related subjects without getting to the point. It conveys a sense of evasion or circumlocution.
Synonyms
  • avoiding the issue
  • hem and haw
  • beating about the bush