What does workaround mean?
A workaround is a practical alternative that allows someone to complete a task or continue operating despite an obstacle, defect, or limitation. Rather than removing the underlying cause, it usually bypasses the difficulty through a different method, device, or procedure. The word is especially familiar in computing, where it may describe a temporary adjustment made while a software bug, hardware fault, or incompatibility remains unresolved, but its use is not restricted to technology. In everyday contexts, a workaround might be a substitute process, a revised arrangement, or an expedient way of meeting a requirement. The term can carry a mildly critical implication: a workaround may restore practical function without delivering a permanent or complete solution. Nevertheless, it often usefully distinguishes an effective short-term measure from doing nothing and from attempting a potentially disruptive fundamental repair.
nounA method, device, or procedure that enables someone to achieve a result or continue operating despite a difficulty, limitation, or defect, usually by avoiding its direct cause. In computing, a workaround is an alternative to correcting the underlying software or hardware problem.
- A method or arrangement that allows progress or continued operation despite a problem or limitation.
"The team devised a temporary workaround that kept the service running while the underlying fault was repaired."
"If upgrading the database is impossible this evening, we can use a temporary workaround for the reporting delay."
"The manual describes a clever workaround for printers that do not support the required paper size."
The plural is formed by adding the regular plural suffix -s and is used when referring to multiple alternative methods for handling a difficulty or limitation.
"The engineers tested several workarounds before selecting the most reliable one."
A workaround skirts the obstacle; it does not necessarily remove it.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does workaround come from?
The compound was formed in English from “work” and “around,” with “around” meaning by an indirect or circuitous route. It became especially prominent during the mid-20th century in computing, although the expression can apply to difficulties far beyond computers. Its elements have older, separate origins: “work” descends from Old English “weorc” and “wyrcan,” while “around” descends from Old English “around,” so conventional Latin or Greek cognates do not apply.
How workaround is actually used
Workaround is most naturally a countable noun. The closed form is standard in modern usage, although “work-around” is also occasionally seen. The related verb phrase is written “work around” as two words. The noun can sound technical, but it is equally common in general discussions of legal, financial, administrative, and practical difficulties.