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workaround

American  
[wurk-uh-round] / ˈwɜrk əˌraʊnd /
Or work-around

noun

  1. Computers. a strategy or technique used to overcome a defect or other problem in a program or system.

    This is a known bug in version 1.5, but a workaround is available.

  2. any method used to overcome a technical problem, especially a problem that could prevent success.

    The astronauts needed a workaround to bypass the faulty cable.


workaround British  
/ ˈwɜːkəˌraʊnd /

noun

  1. a method of circumventing or overcoming a problem in a computer program or system

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of workaround

First recorded in 1970–75; work + around

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

See Examples For:

Greg Verdine, then a Harvard researcher, looked to nature for a workaround.

From The Wall Street Journal Aug. 26, 2026

One workaround for logistics operators is to move as much cargo off rivers as they can to trains or trucks.

From Barron's Aug. 20, 2026

For consumers, renting offers an anxiety workaround: You can have the experience without the commitment.

From MarketWatch Aug. 19, 2026

Now, the country is pivoting toward yet another workaround, this time looking north to the Mediterranean Sea to export its crude.

From MarketWatch Jul. 29, 2026

Fortunately, the rest of the brain is equipped with a workaround for the bottleneck.

From "The Sense of Style" by Steven Pinker

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