eloped; eloping

intransitive verb

1
a
: to run away secretly with the intention of getting married usually without parental consent
… Waterman was a peevish child who grew into a defiant teenager, eloped at 18 largely to shock his father, and then—far too young—was a father himself.Elizabeth Gilbert
b
: to run away from one's spouse with a lover
" … when they had been married nearly seven years, and were within a few weeks of the time when the brother's death would have adjusted all, she eloped with a younger man, and left him."Charles Dickens
2
a
: to slip away : escape
… might have mistaken him for … some scarecrow eloped from a cornfield.Washington Irving
b
: to leave a health care or educational facility without permission or authorization
…10 suicidal patients deemed 'high risk for suicide' eloped from the Emergency Department from October 2014 and February 2015.Charles S. Clark
Police in Ohio said this week that they gave a nursing home resident a ride and dropped him off at a gas station without ever knowing he was a dementia patient who had eloped.Kimberly Marselas
elopement noun
plural elopements
… the young couple at a nearby table sent over some of their dessert, a slice of cake specially ordered to celebrate their elopement. David Massey
… if the child is afraid of loud noises or crowded environments, a classroom could be intimidating and cause him to be anxious. He might engage in problematic behaviors such as elopement (running away), hand flapping, or yelling … Erica Kearney
eloper noun
plural elopers
And of course, Las Vegas is no longer just for elopers. With all the elegant hotels springing up in Sin City, more couples are choosing to haul the whole wedding party out and do things up right. John Winters

Examples of elope in a Sentence

The couple eloped in the middle of the night.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The two went on to elope in 1996 and eventually welcomed their now-adult children: Michael, 27, Lola, 23, and Joaquin, 21. Esther Kang, People.com, 10 Dec. 2024 Ben Nelson and Adam Weinberger’s last-minute decision to elope next month was made in the heat of the moment, not only in the name of love. Matt Lavietes, NBC News, 30 Nov. 2024 The couple, who were engaged in the early aughts, reunited in 2021 and eloped in Las Vegas in July 2022. Jami Ganz, New York Daily News, 6 Nov. 2024 After meeting at one of Jelly’s shows in 2015, the couple eloped in Las Vegas in 2016, with Bunnie taking on the new role of stepmom with ease (Jelly is dad to daughter Bailee, 16, and son Noah, 8, from previous relationships). Rachel Desantis, People.com, 20 Nov. 2024 See all Example Sentences for elope 

Word History

Etymology

Anglo-French aloper, esloper to abduct, run away

First Known Use

1593, in the meaning defined at sense 1b

Time Traveler
The first known use of elope was in 1593

Dictionary Entries Near elope

Cite this Entry

“Elope.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/elope. Accessed 14 Dec. 2024.

Kids Definition

elope

verb
eloped; eloping
: to run away secretly especially to get married without parental consent
elopement noun
eloper noun

More from Merriam-Webster on elope

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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