Idiom
Beat around the bush
By EasySay. Published . Updated .
Beat around the bush means to talk about other things so that you do not say the main point.
People do it when the point feels awkward, rude or sad. Often you hear it as a request: “Please don’t beat around the bush.” It is common in Australia, the UK and the US.
Written for EasySay, in our own words.
In short
- AvoidMany British speakers say “beat about the bush”.
- Or sayGet to the point
Beat around the bush: what it is, and what it is not
- IS
- Avoiding the main point instead of saying it directly, usually because it feels awkward.
- IS
- About 0.08 times per million words in British books, 2010 to 2019.
- IS
- About 0.11 times per million words in American books, 2010 to 2019.
- IS NOT
- About hitting a bush with a stick: it means avoiding the main point.
- DEPENDS
- Cambridge also lists “beat about the bush” as a UK form.
- DEPENDS
- Farlex says “beat around the bush” is primarily heard in the US.
Meaning: To avoid saying the main point directly, usually because it feels awkward.
How do people say it?
- In conversation:
Please don’t beat around the bush. What is the price?
- At work:
I will not beat around the bush: the team needs two more weeks.
Check yourself
What should I know?
The words say
Hitting the leaves and grass around a bush with a stick, instead of going to the bush itself.
It really means
Talking about other things so that you do not say the main point.
What do dictionaries say?
- In Australia
- Cambridge and Longman give it no style label. The dictionaries we checked give it no Australian label, so it is general English, not only from Australia.
- In the UK
- Cambridge also lists “beat about the bush” as a UK form. Google Books (2010 to 2019): about 0.08 times per million words in British books.
- In the US
- Farlex says “beat around the bush” is primarily heard in the US. Google Books (2010 to 2019): about 0.11 times per million words in American books.
What mistakes should I avoid?
- Many British speakers say “beat about the bush”. It means the same. Cambridge gives “beat around the bush” first and “beat about the bush” as the UK form.
- “Stop beating around the bush” can sound sharp to a manager. Say “Could you tell me directly?” instead.
- It is about talking, not about moving. Do not use it for a person who is walking a long way round.
The phrase is most often used in two patterns. One is a request to another person: “Don’t beat around the bush.”
The other is a promise about yourself, before you say something direct: “I won’t beat around the bush: the answer is no.” In both, the next words should be clear and short. The verb changes with the time (“she was beating around the bush”), but the bush stays.
It is a useful phrase for work, because it names the habit of avoiding the main point. If someone is slow to reach the main point, you can use it kindly: “I think we are beating around the bush a little.
Shall we name the problem?” That sounds softer than “Stop talking”. Take care with the sharp form, “Stop beating around the bush”, which can sound angry if you say it to your manager.
To remember it, picture a person walking in circles around one small bush without touching it. They look at the leaves, the grass and the path, but not at the bush.
The bush is the main point, and the walking is all the other talk. When you notice a conversation going in circles, you can name it with this phrase. Then give the main point yourself in one clear sentence.
What else can I say?
- Get to the point Plain and direct. People say “Please get to the point.”
- Talk around it A plain way to describe what beating around the bush looks like.
- Speak plainly Neutral and polite. People say “Let me speak plainly.”
More idioms
- Elephant in the room A big, obvious problem that people know about but do not want to talk about.
- Spill the beans To tell a secret, usually by mistake or too early.
- Barking up the wrong tree To follow a wrong idea or blame the wrong person.
- Hit the nail on the head To say exactly the right thing; to name the real point.
More examples
- In a text:
Not going to beat around the bush. Can you pay me back this week?
Questions people ask
Is “beat around the bush” polite?
The phrase is polite enough for work, but “stop beating around the bush” can sound sharp. A softer choice is “Could you tell me directly?”
What is the difference between “beat around the bush” and “beat about the bush”?
They mean the same. Cambridge lists “about” as the UK form, so learn “around” first.
Does it mean lying?
No. Someone who beats around the bush may be honest, but they are slow to reach the point. Lying is a different problem.
Sources and dates
- EasySay's own writing for the idioms, EasySay. Licence: original writing for EasySay. Checked .
- Cambridge Dictionary: usage labels, Cambridge University Press & Assessment. Licence: our own words, from the facts in the source. Checked .
- Google Books Ngram Viewer: counts per million words, 2010 to 2019, Google. Licence: our own words, from the facts in the source. Checked . Counts read from the Google Books Ngram Viewer (British and American English corpora, 2010 to 2019). Google publishes the Ngram data under CC BY 3.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/).
- The Free Dictionary idioms (Farlex): usage labels, Farlex. Licence: our own words, from the facts in the source. Checked .
Cite this page
EasySay. "Beat around the bush". https://easysay.org/idioms/beat-around-the-bush. Last updated 23 October 2026.
https://easysay.org/idioms/beat-around-the-bush