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

Former House Speaker Charlie Flaherty plead guilty in 1996 to felony tax evasion as well as violating the state conflict of interest law for taking free vacation housing from lobbyists. —Boston Herald Editorial Staff, Boston Herald, 10 Apr. 2026

The agency late last year also increased the number of citable violations from five — including fare evasion, eating or drinking onboard, smoking, or incorrectly using a discount ticket — to 25. —Sacbee.com, 7 Apr. 2026

He was medically cleared and booked into the South County Placer County Jail on suspicion of assault with a deadly weapon, felony evasion and resisting an executive officer. —Jose Fabian, CBS News, 4 Apr. 2026

The marvel of the play, and of this keenly staged and performed production, is its emotional volatility, the quiver of truth behind the percolating dialogue of evasion or shaming accusation. —Steven Winn, San Francisco Chronicle, 3 Apr. 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