beat around the bush

Meaning

This idiom means to avoid talking about the main, important, or embarrassing topic directly, usually because it is uncomfortable. People often beat around the bush when they have bad news to deliver or are trying to avoid a difficult question.

Examples

• Stop beating around the bush and just tell me how much the repairs are going to cost.

  Stop beating around the bush and just tell me how much the repairs are going to cost.

• He beat around the bush for ten minutes before finally admitting he had lost my keys.

  He beat around the bush for ten minutes before finally admitting he had lost my keys.

• Don't beat around the bush—do you want to go out with me or not?

  Don't beat around the bush—do you want to go out with me or not?

• Instead of beating around the bush, the CEO got straight to the point about the layoffs.

  Instead of beating around the bush, the CEO got straight to the point about the layoffs.

• I wish you would stop beating around the bush and say what you really think.

  I wish you would stop beating around the bush and say what you really think.

Common Mistakes

• ✗ Don't beat about the tree.

  ✓ Don't beat around the bush.

  The correct noun is 'bush' (though 'about the bush' is accepted in British English, 'around the bush' is standard and 'tree' is always incorrect).

• ✗ He was beating the bush around.

  ✓ He was beating around the bush.

  The word order is fixed. You cannot split 'beating around the bush' by putting the object in the middle.

Related Expressions

Practice

• Quit ___ and tell me if I got the job!

  💡 Avoiding the main topic.

  Show answer

  beating around the bush

• She didn't want to hurt his feelings, so she kept ___ instead of saying no.

  💡 Talking indirectly.

  Show answer

  beating around the bush