evasive

adjective

eva·​sive i-ˈvā-siv 

-ziv, 

ē-

: tending or intended to evade : equivocal

evasive answers

evasively adverb

evasiveness noun

Synonyms of evasive

• elusive

Examples of evasive in a Sentence

She gave an evasive answer.

They took evasive action to avoid capture.

Recent Examples on the Web

Two Southwest Airlines jets recently had to take evasive action at Nashville International Airport after collision alarms sounded in the cockpit. —Alexandra Banner, CNN Money, 21 Apr. 2026

Both planes' Traffic Collision Avoidance Systems ordered the pilots to take evasive maneuvers. —Kris Van Cleave, CBS News, 21 Apr. 2026

Their conversation is evasive and threatening and pregnant with decades of secrets, some shared and some to be revealed over the next six hours. —Daniel Fienberg, HollywoodReporter, 21 Apr. 2026

The planes crossed paths, coming within 500 feet of each other at their closest point, and the pilots of each aircraft were forced to execute evasive maneuvers to avoid a collision, per CBS News, CNN and The Independent. —Escher Walcott, PEOPLE, 21 Apr. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1637, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

evasive

adjective

eva·​sive i-ˈvā-siv 

-ziv

: tending or meant to evade

gave an evasive answer

evasively adverb

evasiveness noun

Legal Definition

evasive

adjective

eva·​sive i-ˈvā-siv, -ziv 

: tending or intending to evade

Note: Under Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 37(a)(4), an evasive or incomplete answer to an interrogatory or to a question at a deposition is treated as a failure to answer and may be subject to an opponent's motion to compel an answer.

evasively adverb

evasiveness noun