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Glite Dictionary
to tiptoe through a minefield

to tiptoe through a minefield

8.8
To act very carefully in a difficult situation to avoid mistakes or offend people
  • idiom
  • Informal
translation icon : andar con cautela
  • He felt like he was tiptoeing through a minefield every time he discussed company policies.

Examples

  • Don't tiptoe through a minefield!

  • When talking about religion at dinner, we all tried to tiptoe through a minefield to avoid arguments.

  • During the negotiation, she had to tiptoe through a minefield of conflicting interests.

  • We must tiptoe through a minefield during this negotiation.

  • During the discussion about budget cuts, we had to tiptoe through a minefield of sensitive topics to avoid offending anyone.

  • When addressing the ongoing conflict, the speaker needed to tiptoe through a minefield of differing opinions and strong feelings.

  • The manager had to tiptoe through a minefield of personal issues while mediating the team dispute.

Synonyms

to walk on eggshells
vsto tiptoe through a minefield
  • Informal
10 6.7

To be very careful not to upset someone

is used in many kinds of sensitive situations, not only to avoid upsetting people
to tread lightly
vsto tiptoe through a minefield
9 5.6

To act carefully to avoid hurting feelings or making mistakes

is used when navigating a difficult or sensitive situation rather than general caution
to tread carefully
vsto tiptoe through a minefield
6 3.9

Act carefully to avoid mistakes, danger, or upsetting others

is used especially when moving through difficult or sensitive situations
to walk a tightrope
vsto tiptoe through a minefield
  • Informal
4 7.7

To be in a difficult situation where you must be very careful to avoid failure or trouble

is about avoiding mistakes or causing offense rather than precise action to avoid failure
to walk on a razor's edge
vsto tiptoe through a minefield
  • Informal
8.6

To be in a very dangerous situation where a small mistake causes big harm

is used for careful handling of sensitive situations rather than constant extreme danger

Antonyms

charge
65 4.8

A sudden, forceful rush forward, often to attack

How Cautious

to tiptoe through a minefield
  • Informal
8.8
to walk on eggshells
  • Informal
10 6.7
to be careful
979 1.0
to beware
136 4.1

Surface Forms

tiptoe through a minefield infinitive
tiptoed through a minefield past
tiptoed through a minefield past participle
tiptoeing through a minefield present participle
tiptoes through a minefield third person singular

Morphology

tiptoe + through + a + minefield

The components 'tiptoe' (move carefully) and 'minefield' (an area full of hidden danger) transparently evoke the image of moving very cautiously, so a learner who knows the words can infer a core sense of extreme caution. However, the intended use to mean ‘navigate a sensitive or politically risky situation’ is a metaphorical extension from the literal scenario and may require pragmatic transfer or exposure to fully capture the nuance.

Etymology

Tiptoe through a minefield creates the image of a person walking on tiptoe across a field of hidden bombs called a minefield, taking tiny, careful steps to avoid an explosion. So the phrase means 'to go very carefully through a risky or sensitive situation' to avoid mistakes or causing offense.