escapism

1 of 3

noun (1)

es·​cap·​ism i-ˈskā-ˌpi-zəm 

: habitual diversion of the mind to purely imaginative activity or entertainment as an escape from reality or routine

The movie is pure escapism.

escapist

i-ˈskā-pist 

adjective or noun

escapist

2 of 3

noun (2)

es·​cap·​ist

-pə̇st

plural -s

: one that escapes

specifically : one guilty of or given to escapism

the … idyllic ecstasy of a romantic primitivist or escapist

—Douglas Bush

he has been called an escapist, a perennial tenant of the ivory tower, a man who writes about life while taking great pains to remain aloof from it

—W. M. Kunstler

a daydreamer, an escapist, a lover of peace

—William Saroyan

escapist

3 of 3

adjective

" 

: befitting an escapist or escapism

escapist visions

escapist literature

Examples of escapism in a Sentence

Noun (1)

Reading romantic novels is for her a form of escapism.

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

These books show the ways Black children use imagination as more than a form of escapism or fanciful thinking. — Brooke Harris Garad, The Conversation, 14 July 2026

At Dior, the set was a leafy hothouse, also evoking escapism. — Laure Guilbault, Vogue, 10 July 2026

What distinguishes Vacanza in the landscape of luxury niche perfumery is its refusal of escapism as mere fantasy. — Tanya Akim, Forbes.com, 8 July 2026

Veteran creatives who helped launch the musical reunite on tour, describing the show’s glittering escapism as a balm for audiences in anxious, overwhelming times. — Los Angeles Times, 30 June 2026

Word History

Etymology

Noun (2)

escape entry 1 + -ist

First Known Use

Noun (1)

1933, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for escapism

• autism
• fascism
• racism
• sikhism
• sophism
• statism
• sufism
• thomism
• tourism
• tropism
• abolitionism
• aldosteronism

Kids Definition

escapism

noun

es·​cap·​ism is-ˈkā-ˌpiz-əm 

: a habit of thinking or a form of entertainment about purely imaginary or amusing things that provides an escape from reality or everyday matters

escapist

-pəst 

adjective or noun

Medical Definition

escapism

noun

es·​cap·​ism is-ˈkā-ˌpiz-əm 

: habitual diversion of the mind to purely imaginative activity or entertainment as an escape from reality or routine

escapist

-pəst 

adjective or noun