bypass
To go around or avoid something
Examples
In a meeting
“We can bypass the approval process for urgent purchases under $500.”
Over coffee
“Let's bypass downtown and take the highway instead.”
Why this word
avoid
Bypass specifically means going around something while still reaching your goal, while avoid just means staying away from without implying continued progress
skip
Bypass implies deliberately finding an alternate route around an obstacle, while skip suggests omitting something entirely
go around
Bypass is more precise in technical or procedural contexts, especially for circumventing rules or obstacles, while go around is informal and spatial
Usage tip
Use when describing a way to avoid obstacles, delays, or unnecessary steps
Etymology
English by- 'near' or 'side' + pass, literally meaning 'to pass to the side'
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Related words
streamline
To make a process or system more efficient by simplifying or eliminating unnecessary steps.
circumvent
To find a way around an obstacle or restriction.
diagnose
To identify the cause or nature of a problem through examination.
eliminate
To completely remove or get rid of something.
simplify
To make something easier to understand or do
reconcile
Make two conflicting things compatible or resolve a disagreement