Past tense: to have successfully avoided, gotten around, or bypassed something using a clever method.
From Latin circumvenire, evolving through Old French and Middle English. Originally meant 'to deceive' before shifting to mean 'to avoid' or 'to go around,' with the modern sense solidifying by the 18th century.
The Great Wall of China was meant to be uncircumventable, yet it was frequently circumvented through bribery, hidden passes, and elaborate deceptions—showing that physical barriers alone can't stop determined people.
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