Eschewed Definition & Meaning

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 Americans typically eschew the marathon oven session, instead producing pumpernickel’s dark hue by adding molasses or coffee. — Jill Gleeson, Country Living, 15 Apr. 2022 Some told Miller that their jobs were going to require the vaccine or that they would be allowed to eschew a mask if they got inoculated. — From Usa Today Network And Wire Reports, USA TODAY, 1 July 2020 One was a bill that bundled together a series of changes to state liquor policies — the church teaches its members to eschew alcohol — including banning about half the hard seltzers from grocery and convenience stores. — Robert Gehrke, The Salt Lake Tribune, 29 Mar. 2022 The only American Coke product that uses traditional sugar is a seasonal product available during the Jewish holiday of Passover, when observers eschew a number of foods, including corn syrup. — Naomi Tomky, Chron, 17 Mar. 2022 While higher interest rates and other forces are tanking technology shares at the moment—the tech-heavy Nasdaq 100 is down 15% this year, versus a 10% dip for the broad-market S&P 500—any investor would be foolish to eschew tech going forward. — Larry Light, Fortune, 11 Mar. 2022 In recent years, however, Florencia-13 members have been directed to eschew violent inter-gang rivalries in favor of pursuing new rackets, said a former member of the gang, who spoke on condition of anonymity. — Matthew Ormseth, Los Angeles Times, 26 Jan. 2022 Younger audiences not only eschew archness in comedy but also see humor as a kind of therapeutic exercise that’s more personal, more rooted in pain. — Harry Bruinius, The Christian Science Monitor, 29 Nov. 2021 But if the Centre Pompidou or Tate Modern were to put on an exhibit of the golf world’s most eye-catching prizes, savvy curators would eschew staid major tournament metal in favor of a collection of the sculptures of Malcolm DeMille. — Mike Dojc, Forbes, 18 Oct. 2021 See More

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.