Definition of ESCHEWED

Choose the Right Synonym for eschew

escape, avoid, evade, elude, shun, eschew mean to get away or keep away from something. escape stresses the fact of getting away or being passed by not necessarily through effort or by conscious intent. nothing escapes her sharp eyes avoid stresses forethought and caution in keeping clear of danger or difficulty. try to avoid past errors evade implies adroitness, ingenuity, or lack of scruple in escaping or avoiding. evaded the question by changing the subject elude implies a slippery or baffling quality in the person or thing that escapes. what she sees in him eludes me shun often implies an avoiding as a matter of habitual practice or policy and may imply repugnance or abhorrence. you have shunned your responsibilities eschew implies an avoiding or abstaining from as unwise or distasteful. a playwright who eschews melodrama

Did You Know?

Eschew derives from the Anglo-French verb eschiver and is akin to the Old High German verb sciuhen ("to frighten off"), an ancestor of our word shy. In his famous dictionary of 1755 Dr. Samuel Johnson characterized "eschew" as "almost obsolete." History has proven that the great lexicographer was wrong on that call, however. William Thackeray found "eschew" alive enough to use it almost one hundred years later in his classic novel Vanity Fair: "He has already eschewed green coats, red neckcloths, and other worldly ornaments." The word swelled in usage in English during the 19th and 20th centuries and is now common enough to be included even in small paperback dictionaries.

Examples of eschew in a Sentence

Though a doctor with psychiatric training, he eschewed the science that had so enamored earlier child-rearing professionals … — Sue Halpern, New York Review of Books, 29 May 2003 A fair number of academics eschew the simple title "professor" and call themselves economists, astronomers, historians, philosophers. — Tracy Kidder, Home Town, 1999 When introduced to a stranger, he eschewed formalities, stuck out a gnarled right hand and responded with a chummy, "Hermann." — Tim Layden, Sports Illustrated, 2 Feb. 1998 They now eschew the violence of their past. a psychologist who eschews the traditional methods of psychotherapy

Recent Examples on the Web

Family heirlooms eschewed by younger kin were sold. — Bonnie S. Benwick, The Seattle Times, "Kitchen confidential: How I downsized the most important room in the house," 24 Sep. 2018 The music is graceful, eschewing the virtuosic brilliance associated with its composer. — Jesse Hamlin, San Francisco Chronicle, "Duo’s fresh take on guitar, violin," 20 Mar. 2018 Lunch hours can be particularly busy for both foot and car traffic as Qualcomm workers eschew the company cafeteria for something different. — Pam Kragen, sandiegouniontribune.com, "Qualcomm sale could affect surrounding community," 1 Mar. 2018 The former Cleveland mayor wanted to ban fracking as a method for oil and gas drilling and eschewed corporate donations in fundraising. — Jessie Balmert, Cincinnati.com, "Rematch in Ohio governor's race as Mike DeWine, Richard Cordray emerge in primary," 8 May 2018 The high end is nicely restrained, eschewing any sibilance or shouty peaks, and the midrange is given room to breathe. — Vlad Savov, The Verge, "Koss Porta Pro Wireless review: a classic mistake," 3 May 2018 Judging by the latest welfare beneficiaries, those elites’ tastes remain as degraded as ever, eschewing the good, the beautiful and the true – and anything timeless and transcendent – in favor of soul-killing PC claptrap. — Lawrence Toppman, charlotteobserver, "His play about gender got a new ending – during the HB2 debate. Now it premieres at Actor’s Theatre. | Charlotte Observer," 25 Apr. 2018 Maison Plisson Plisson specializes in artisanal items that reduce waste, eschewing mass-market food (and indulging the growing expectation for transparent sourcing) for some 3,000 products, 80 percent of which are French. — Condé Nast Traveler, "20 Best Food Tours in Paris," 3 Mar. 2018 Electronic Arts has largely eschewed Steam since 2011 in favor of its own Origin platform and its associated Origin Access subscription program. — Kyle Orland, Ars Technica, "Valve changes developer terms to try to retain top games," 3 Dec. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'eschew.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.