evasion

noun

eva·​sion i-ˈvā-zhən 

ē-

1

: a means of evading : dodge

Bankruptcy becomes a kind of evasion when firms, some of them still profitable, attempt to avoid obligations that are merely inconvenient.

—Mary Graham

2

: the act or an instance of evading : escape

suspected of tax evasion

Synonyms of evasion

• escape
• avoidance

Examples of evasion in a Sentence

He was arrested for tax evasion.

They came up with an evasion of the law to keep all the land for themselves.

His reply was nothing but careful evasions.

Recent Examples on the Web

The new security gates to curb fare evasion and improve safety (more than 80% of the crime at BART used to come from fare jumpers) were delayed for years due to budget inaction. —Steve Glazer, Mercury News, 30 Mar. 2026

He was convicted of tax evasion in January 2006. —Jack Perry, USA Today, 28 Mar. 2026

Expand enforcement against fare evasion and misuse, then consider lowering fares. —Phillip Molnar, San Diego Union-Tribune, 27 Mar. 2026

Strong federal enforcement through audits and information reporting would likely limit tax evasion and avoidance by the richest households, the economists concluded. —Aimee Picchi, CBS News, 26 Mar. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Anglo-French or Late Latin; Anglo-French, from Late Latin evasion-, evasio, from Latin evadere to evade

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for evasion

• abrasion
• caucasian
• equation
• eurasian
• invasion
• occasion
• persuasion
• asian
• suasion
• athanasian

Kids Definition

evasion

noun

eva·​sion i-ˈvā-zhən 

1

: a means of evading

2

: the act or an instance of evading : escape

tax evasion

Legal Definition

evasion

noun

eva·​sion i-ˈvā-zhən 

1

: a means of evading

2

: the act or an instance of evading see also tax evasion