beat around the bush

Name: beat around the bush, English Word Data
Creator: Wiktionary
License: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/

/ˈbiːt əˌɹaʊ̯nd ðə bʊʃ/

//ˈbiːt əˌɹaʊ̯nd ðə bʊʃ// verb

By PlainSpell Editorial Team · According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA) · analyzed May 6, 2026

The verdict

“beat around the bush” is outside the top-ranked English vocabulary, used as a verb - the kind of word writers most often double-check.

Unranked
below top-frequency English: 20
letters

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - To treat a topic, but omit its main points, often intentionally.

Key facts for beat around the bush
Property	Value
Headword	beat around the bush
Language	English
Part of speech	Verb
IPA	/ˈbiːt əˌɹaʊ̯nd ðə bʊʃ/
Letters	20
Misspellings tracked	0
Confusable pairs	0
Source	Wiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “beat around the bush” sits in English frequency

beat around the bush falls outside the top-100,000 ranked English words, the long-tail zone of technical, archaic, or low-frequency vocabulary, exactly where readers second-guess spellings most.

Beyond rank #100,000. Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Spelling & Dictionary Insight

The English entry for beat around the bush is 20 letters long, classified as a verb, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /ˈbiːt əˌɹaʊ̯nd ðə bʊʃ/. It sits outside the most-frequent rank tiers, which is often why uncommon words generate more spelling variants per reader. Wiktionary records 2 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

No generated misspelling entries exist for beat around the bush in our index, a sign its spelling follows regular English conventions. No confusable counterpart is on file for this word, since no other headword is close enough in sound or shape to pair with it.

Etymologically, the entry records: From the older form beat about the bush, replacing the preposition. The correct English form is beat around the bush, spelled B-E-A-T- -A-R-O-U-N-D- -T-H-E- -B-U-S-H.

Definition

1
To treat a topic, but omit its main points, often intentionally.
2
To delay or avoid talking about something difficult or unpleasant.

Etymology

From the older form beat about the bush, replacing the preposition.

This word in other languages

tourner autour du pot(Français)um den heißen Brei herumreden(Deutsch)enrolar(Português)

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "beat around the bush"?

"beat around the bush" is spelled B-E-A-T- -A-R-O-U-N-D- -T-H-E- -B-U-S-H. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈbiːt əˌɹaʊ̯nd ðə bʊʃ/.

What does "beat around the bush" mean?

As a verb, "beat around the bush" means: To treat a topic, but omit its main points, often intentionally.

How do you pronounce "beat around the bush"?

The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "beat around the bush" is /ˈbiːt əˌɹaʊ̯nd ðə bʊʃ/. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.

What is the origin of the word "beat around the bush"?

From the older form beat about the bush, replacing the preposition. See the full etymology section above for more details.

Is PlainSpell free to use?

Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Using “beat around the bush”

The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.

The one correct English spelling is B-E-A-T- -A-R-O-U-N-D- -T-H-E- -B-U-S-H - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
Say it as /ˈbiːt əˌɹaʊ̯nd ðə bʊʃ/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
Browse more English words and confusable pairs in the same reference. English words

Data Source

Wiktionary (via kaikki.org), licensed under CC BY-SA & GFDL. Word ordering uses an open word-frequency list; misspelling variants are generated by edit-distance from the correct headword.