skirt around the topic

Meaning

To 'skirt around the topic' (or 'skirt around the issue') means to deliberately avoid discussing a difficult, sensitive, or uncomfortable subject directly. Instead of addressing the core issue, a person might talk about related but unimportant details to evade conflict or awkwardness.

Examples

• Instead of addressing our relationship issues, we just skirted around the topic all evening.

  Instead of addressing our relationship issues, we just skirted around the topic all evening.

• Stop skirting around the topic and tell me if you actually want to move in together.

  Stop skirting around the topic and tell me if you actually want to move in together.

• During the family dinner, everyone skirted around the topic of politics to avoid an argument.

  During the family dinner, everyone skirted around the topic of politics to avoid an argument.

• The couple spent months skirting around the topic of their finances before finally seeking help.

  The couple spent months skirting around the topic of their finances before finally seeking help.

• She knew he was upset, but she chose to skirt around the topic to keep the peace.

  She knew he was upset, but she chose to skirt around the topic to keep the peace.

Common Mistakes

• ✗ He skirted about the topic during the meeting.

  ✓ He skirted around the topic during the meeting.

  The correct preposition to use with the verb 'skirt' in this context is 'around' (or occasionally 'round'), not 'about'.

• ✗ We need to stop skirting the topic.

  ✓ We need to stop skirting around the topic.

  While 'skirt the issue' is grammatically acceptable, when using 'topic', it is much more natural and common to include 'around'.

Related Expressions

Practice

• We've been ___ of our future for months, and we finally need to make a decision.

  💡 Use the continuous (-ing) form of the expression.

  Show answer

  skirting around the topic

• If you have a problem with me, tell me directly instead of ___.

  💡 Use the gerund form after the preposition 'instead of'.

  Show answer

  skirting around the topic