What does dodged mean?
"Dodged" is the past tense and past participle of the verb "dodge," meaning to avoid something or someone through quick, sudden movement — a player dodged a tackle, a pedestrian dodged traffic. By extension, it also means to evade obligations, questions, or responsibilities through cunning rather than force: a politician dodged a difficult question, or a company dodged its tax liabilities. The word carries a connotation of agility and quick thinking in its physical sense, but in its figurative use it often implies evasion, shirked duty, or even deceit, which lends it a mildly disapproving tone. Common fixed expressions include "dodged a bullet" (narrowly escaped misfortune), "dodged the question," and "dodged responsibility." Versatile and vivid, "dodged" appears frequently in sports commentary, journalism, and everyday speech alike.
verb (past tense and past participle of 'dodge')Past tense and past participle of dodge: to avoid someone or something by a sudden quick movement, or to evade an obligation, question, or duty by cunning or evasion.
- To avoid something by moving suddenly out of its way.
- To evade a duty, question, or obligation through trickery or avoidance.
"He dodged the oncoming ball with a swift sideways step."
"She dodged behind the door as the water balloon flew past."
"The minister dodged every question about the leaked report."
To 'dodge a bullet' originally meant escaping a real bullet — now it describes dodging anything from awkward dates to layoffs.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of dodged
"Dodge" first appeared in English in the early 17th century, with early recorded uses found in American colonial sources. Its ultimate origin is uncertain; it may be related to or influenced by dialectal words meaning to trick or deceive. The noun "dodger" (one who evades) and the adjective "dodgy" (evasive or unreliable, chiefly British) developed from the verb.
Related word forms
How dodged is actually used
Informal to neutral in register. The literal sense (physical avoidance) is neutral, while the figurative sense often carries a mildly negative connotation of evasiveness or dishonesty, as in 'dodging taxes' or 'dodging the issue'.
Easily confused with dodged
'Lodged' means stuck or temporarily accommodated, while 'dodged' means avoided or evaded; they differ only in their initial consonant.