escaped; escaping
1
a
: to get away (as by flight)
escaped from prison
b
: to issue from confinement
gas is escaping
c
of a plant
: to run wild from cultivation
2
: to avoid a threatening evil
the boat sank but the crew escaped
1
: to get free of : break away from
escape the jungle
escape the solar system
2
: to get or stay out of the way of : avoid
efforts to escape poverty
3
: to fail to be noticed or recallable by
his name escapes me
4
a
: to issue from
a smile escaped me
b
: to be uttered involuntarily by
a sigh of relief escaped her
escaper
noun
1
: an act or instance of escaping: such as
a
: flight from confinement
b
: evasion of something undesirable
c
: leakage or outflow especially of a fluid
d
: distraction or relief from routine or reality
2
: a means of escape
3
: a cultivated plant run wild
4
or less commonly Escape
: escape key
1
: providing a means of escape
escape literature
2
: providing a means of evading a regulation, claim, or commitment
an escape clause in a contract
Did you know?
If you were being held captive by someone gripping the coat or cloak you were wearing, you might be able to get away by slipping out of it. This is the idea on which the word escape is based. Escape is made up of the Latin prefix ex-, which means “out of,” and the Latin word cappa, which means “head covering” or “cloak.”
Synonyms
Examples of escape in a Sentence
Verb
They managed to escape from the burning building.
He needed a vacation to escape the routine of daily life.
She moved to the city to escape the memory of her mother's death.
trying to help people to escape poverty
trying to help people to escape from poverty
He succeeded in escaping punishment for many years.
A few passengers somehow escaped injury.
She barely escaped death when her car slid off the road.
Several passengers escaped without injury.
Noun
The prisoners attempted a daring escape.
He celebrated his escape from his boring job with a long vacation.
She had a lucky escape when she wasn't injured in the accident.
She managed to avoid serious injury, but it was a narrow escape.
The door was locked; there was no escape.
Gardening offered an escape from her busy life.
an accidental escape of poisonous gases
trying to prevent further escape of liquid
Recent Examples on the Web
Andrea Castillo, Los Angeles Times, 10 Apr. 2024
Owing to the rise of China, Washington could not escape the need to reallocate resources from the Middle East to the Asia-Pacific.
—Steven Simon, Foreign Affairs, 9 Apr. 2024
The rest of the people in the group escaped, called police and have been interviewed by investigators, Johansson said.
—Christina Maxouris, CNN, 8 Apr. 2024
That night, several of the Russians, in a desperate dash, successfully escaped.
—Luke Mogelson, The New Yorker, 8 Apr. 2024
Webb returned to the same formula in the seventh to escape his thorniest jam, generating back-to-back ground balls — one that Nick Ahmed shoveled for a force out at second and another picked by Chapman — after allowing the first two batters of the inning to reach base.
—Evan Webeck, The Mercury News, 7 Apr. 2024
Economists have found that leakage, where income escapes an economy, is an all-too-common aspect of professional sports teams, Matheson said, and if a consumer is spending money at a ballpark or arena, those are entertainment dollars that won’t go to local attractions.
—Cathie Anderson, Sacramento Bee, 6 Apr. 2024
The audience sits on all four sides of their pen, where actors costumed as black and white sheep wander about dead-eyed, baa-ing, munching lettuce and attempting to escape.
—Pam Kragen, San Diego Union-Tribune, 5 Apr. 2024
Franke, who once had millions of viewers of her parenting videos on YouTube, was arrested after one of the children in her care escaped and approached a neighbor asking for help.
—Will Carless, USA TODAY, 29 Mar. 2024
Olivia Evans, The Courier-Journal, 10 Apr. 2024
If a fire rekindles or escapes, the person who set it is liable for any damage caused, as well as for wildfire suppression costs.
—Forum News Service, Twin Cities, 6 Apr. 2024
And the nature of this subconscious escape is lovely: As American girl Fanny Moreau (Lou de Laâge) encounters her New York schoolmate Alain (Niels Schneider), the Eiffel Tower looms in the distance, an apparition calling up the masterpieces Rules of the Game, Funny Face, Rendez-vous in Paris.
—Armond White, National Review, 5 Apr. 2024
For every tragic death, there is a universe with a narrow escape.
—Paul M. Sutter, Discover Magazine, 3 Apr. 2024
He was respected widely in the military intelligence community and was known for helping create the Navy’s first SERE program (survival, evasion, resistance and escape), according to the National WWII Museum in New Orleans.
—Alisha Ebrahimji, CNN, 2 Apr. 2024
Sliding back in time to a week prior, the audience learns how Gray, a middle-aged car service owner, became entangled in such a harrowing escape.
—Aramide Tinubu, Variety, 31 Mar. 2024
The Bell Rocket Belt jetpack that let the secret agent make a quick escape in 1965 film Thunderball is displayed next to a Jet Suit by Gravity Industries.
—Leslie Katz, Forbes, 29 Mar. 2024
In his recent escape, Souzer again cut off his electronic monitoring device, CBS Los Angeles reported.
—CBS News, 29 Mar. 2024
David G. Allan, CNN, 4 Aug. 2022
Both works draw a line between the anti-escape devices used to control the enslaved and the subtler constraints on contemporary Black dissent.
—Julian Lucas, The New Yorker, 4 May 2022
If possible, collect the bat in an escape-proof container with air holes and take to a local veterinarian for euthanasia.
—Leada Gore | Lgore@al.com, al, 8 Mar. 2022
On Wednesday, the 40-year-old stunt performer shared an update on his health after he was hospitalized last week following an escape act gone wrong at the Atlanta Motor Speedway, where the show is being filmed.
—Karen Mizoguchi, PEOPLE.com, 20 Oct. 2021
Authorities searched around Stevenson Park but could not locate Tidwell, who will face additional escape charges, the sheriff’s office said.
—Howard Koplowitz | Hkoplowitz@al.com, al, 4 Dec. 2019
Another epic escape act seems improbable, but can't be ruled out if Di Francesco gets his tactics right in Rome.
—Stevens Griffiths, chicagotribune.com, 24 Apr. 2018
During his final three matches at the sectional, Skokna consistently employed a strategy of letting his opponent get escape points without trying to keep him down.
—Patrick Kelly, chicagotribune.com, 16 Feb. 2018
The Saturn 5, which flew 13 times, had an Earth-escape payload capacity of more than 100,000 pounds, about three times the capability of the Falcon Heavy.
—William Harwood, CBS News, 4 Feb. 2018
Verb
Mayorkas narrowly escaped the House’s first impeachment attempt when three GOP lawmakers, including one from California, broke ranks with their party and joined Democrats to vote against it.
—Andrea Castillo, Los Angeles Times, 10 Apr. 2024
Owing to the rise of China, Washington could not escape the need to reallocate resources from the Middle East to the Asia-Pacific.
—Steven Simon, Foreign Affairs, 9 Apr. 2024
The rest of the people in the group escaped, called police and have been interviewed by investigators, Johansson said.
—Christina Maxouris, CNN, 8 Apr. 2024
That night, several of the Russians, in a desperate dash, successfully escaped.
—Luke Mogelson, The New Yorker, 8 Apr. 2024
Webb returned to the same formula in the seventh to escape his thorniest jam, generating back-to-back ground balls — one that Nick Ahmed shoveled for a force out at second and another picked by Chapman — after allowing the first two batters of the inning to reach base.
—Evan Webeck, The Mercury News, 7 Apr. 2024
Economists have found that leakage, where income escapes an economy, is an all-too-common aspect of professional sports teams, Matheson said, and if a consumer is spending money at a ballpark or arena, those are entertainment dollars that won’t go to local attractions.
—Cathie Anderson, Sacramento Bee, 6 Apr. 2024
The audience sits on all four sides of their pen, where actors costumed as black and white sheep wander about dead-eyed, baa-ing, munching lettuce and attempting to escape.
—Pam Kragen, San Diego Union-Tribune, 5 Apr. 2024
Franke, who once had millions of viewers of her parenting videos on YouTube, was arrested after one of the children in her care escaped and approached a neighbor asking for help.
—Will Carless, USA TODAY, 29 Mar. 2024
Noun
Ford is recalling certain 2022-23 Bronco Sport and 2022 Escape models.
—Olivia Evans, The Courier-Journal, 10 Apr. 2024
If a fire rekindles or escapes, the person who set it is liable for any damage caused, as well as for wildfire suppression costs.
—Forum News Service, Twin Cities, 6 Apr. 2024
And the nature of this subconscious escape is lovely: As American girl Fanny Moreau (Lou de Laâge) encounters her New York schoolmate Alain (Niels Schneider), the Eiffel Tower looms in the distance, an apparition calling up the masterpieces Rules of the Game, Funny Face, Rendez-vous in Paris.
—Armond White, National Review, 5 Apr. 2024
For every tragic death, there is a universe with a narrow escape.
—Paul M. Sutter, Discover Magazine, 3 Apr. 2024
He was respected widely in the military intelligence community and was known for helping create the Navy’s first SERE program (survival, evasion, resistance and escape), according to the National WWII Museum in New Orleans.
—Alisha Ebrahimji, CNN, 2 Apr. 2024
Sliding back in time to a week prior, the audience learns how Gray, a middle-aged car service owner, became entangled in such a harrowing escape.
—Aramide Tinubu, Variety, 31 Mar. 2024
The Bell Rocket Belt jetpack that let the secret agent make a quick escape in 1965 film Thunderball is displayed next to a Jet Suit by Gravity Industries.
—Leslie Katz, Forbes, 29 Mar. 2024
In his recent escape, Souzer again cut off his electronic monitoring device, CBS Los Angeles reported.
—CBS News, 29 Mar. 2024
Adjective
One more benefit of recounting and recording your dreams is simply escape.
—David G. Allan, CNN, 4 Aug. 2022
Both works draw a line between the anti-escape devices used to control the enslaved and the subtler constraints on contemporary Black dissent.
—Julian Lucas, The New Yorker, 4 May 2022
If possible, collect the bat in an escape-proof container with air holes and take to a local veterinarian for euthanasia.
—Leada Gore | Lgore@al.com, al, 8 Mar. 2022
On Wednesday, the 40-year-old stunt performer shared an update on his health after he was hospitalized last week following an escape act gone wrong at the Atlanta Motor Speedway, where the show is being filmed.
—Karen Mizoguchi, PEOPLE.com, 20 Oct. 2021
Authorities searched around Stevenson Park but could not locate Tidwell, who will face additional escape charges, the sheriff’s office said.
—Howard Koplowitz | Hkoplowitz@al.com, al, 4 Dec. 2019
Another epic escape act seems improbable, but can't be ruled out if Di Francesco gets his tactics right in Rome.
—Stevens Griffiths, chicagotribune.com, 24 Apr. 2018
During his final three matches at the sectional, Skokna consistently employed a strategy of letting his opponent get escape points without trying to keep him down.
—Patrick Kelly, chicagotribune.com, 16 Feb. 2018
The Saturn 5, which flew 13 times, had an Earth-escape payload capacity of more than 100,000 pounds, about three times the capability of the Falcon Heavy.
—William Harwood, CBS News, 4 Feb. 2018
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'escape.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
Etymology
Verb
Middle English, from Anglo-French escaper, eschaper, from Vulgar Latin *excappare, from Latin ex- + Late Latin cappa head covering, cloak
First Known Use
Verb
13th century, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 1a
Noun
14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1
Adjective
1817, in the meaning defined at sense 1
Time Traveler
The first known use of escape was
in the 13th century
Phrases Containing escape
Articles Related to escape
Dictionary Entries Near escape
Cite this Entry
“Escape.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/escape. Accessed 18 Apr. 2024.
Copy Citation
Kids Definition
escape
1 of 2 verb
es·cape
is-ˈkāp 
escaped; escaping
1
a
: to get away
escape from the daily routine
escape from a burning building
b
: to leak out from some enclosed place
gas is escaping
c
: to grow in the wild after being in cultivation
2
: to get out of the way of : avoid
escape punishment
3
: to fail to be noticed or recalled by
the name escapes me
4
: to come out from or be uttered by unexpectedly or almost uncontrollably
a sigh of relief escaped us
escaper
noun
escape
2 of 2 noun1
: an act or instance of escaping
2
: a means of escaping
3
: a cultivated plant growing wild
Etymology
Verb
early French escaper "to escape," from assumed Latin excappare (same meaning), from Latin ex- "out, out of" and cappa "head covering, cloak" — related to cape entry 2
Word Origin
If you were being held captive by someone gripping your coat or cloak, you might be able to get away by slipping out of it. The word escape is based on that idea. Escape comes from the Latin prefix ex-, which means "out of," and the Latin word cappa, which means "head covering" or "cloak."
Medical Definition
escape
1 of 3 verb
es·cape
is-ˈkāp
escaped; escaping
: to avoid or find relief from something by means of an escape
: to avoid or find relief from (something) by means of an escape
he was unable to escape reality
escape
2 of 3 noun
: an act or instance of escaping: as
a
: evasion of something undesirable
find no method of escape from pain and suffering
b
: distraction or relief from routine or reality
especially
: mental distraction or relief by flight into idealizing fantasy or fiction that serves to glorify the self
escape
3 of 3 adjective
: providing a means of escape
escape literature
Legal Definition
escape
1 of 2 intransitive verb
es·cape
escaped; escaping
: to depart from lawful custody with the intent of avoiding confinement or the administration of justice
escape
2 of 2 noun1
: an act or instance of escaping
2
: the criminal offense of escaping
More from Merriam-Webster on escape
Nglish: Translation of escape for Spanish Speakers
Britannica English: Translation of escape for Arabic Speakers
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