This is the 9593rd most frequent Portuguese word.
contornar
"Contornar" means "to bypass, circumvent, or go around."
The word 'contornar' here is used to describe the action of circumventing or finding a way past obstacles.
Ele conseguiu contornar os obstáculos no seu caminho.
He managed to get around the obstacles in his way.
In this case, 'contornar' refers to physically going around an object, such as the lake.
Decidimos contornar o lago durante nosso passeio.
We decided to walk around the lake during our stroll.
Here, 'contornar' is utilized to express resolving or managing a situation tactfully to avoid complications.