ISEE/SSAT Vocabulary Builder›Words›P›parry
ISEE/SSAThard
parry
to evade a difficult question by skillfully redirecting it
Synonyms
- evade
- deflect
- dodge
Antonyms
- answer
- address
- confront
parry in a sentence
The minister tried to parry questions about the missing public funds.
The witness tried to parry the accusation by changing the subject to an unrelated event.
Where it comes from
From French parer, meaning 'to ward off or defend.'
Memory hook
PARRY sounds like 'pair'; pair a hard question with a deflection to avoid it.
Read it in context
- The Valley Remembers Nature