✅ Skirt means to go around the edge of something, avoid it, or keep your distance from it (I skirted the puddle because I didn’t want to get my shoes wet).

✅ Circumvent means to go around something or bypass it, often in a figurative way (The press release circumvented the real issues).

✅ Skirt and circumvent both mean to go around something, and both can be used when someone doesn’t give a straight answer or when someone doesn’t want to discuss a certain issue (I circumvented his question; I skirted the topic).

✅ Skirt primarily suggests staying away from a certain issue, whereas circumvent suggests finding a way to not have to discuss it.

✅ A scarf is a long piece of material worn around the shoulders, neck, and face for warmth or as an accessory (I made myself a warm winter scarf).

✅ A stole is a wide scarf, often made of fur or other expensive material, which is worn around the shoulders, both for warmth and as a fashion accessory (I think this outfit needs to be paired with a fancy stole).

✅ Stole refers to a specific kind of expensive and fashionable scarf which often evokes a luxury aesthetic.

✅ Gist refers to the central idea, concept, or argument of a show or piece of writing (Tell me the gist of the email).

✅ Upshot refers to the main takeaway from an argument or thesis (The upshot is that he faked evidence that ghosts were real).

✅ Gist and upshot both refer to the central, most important things in an argument.

✅ However, upshot emphasizes the impact or takeaway of an argument rather than its key parts and is not as common of a word.