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

Both sides have been firmly entrenched, even as NBA commissioner Adam Silver has suggested that travel, and not a deference to tradition, represents the main obstacle to adopting a top-16 playoff format that eschews conference designations. — Ben Golliver, SI.com, "2018 NBA Free Agency: The Early Winners And Losers," 5 July 2018 These were the guiding principles of Rogers’s homespun program, which eschewed the kinetic high jinks of so much of kids’ television (Rogers apparently hated superheroes). — Taylor Antrim, Vogue, "Won’t You Be My Neighbor?," 14 June 2018 But as a member of a family which carefully eschews anything that looks like a political statement, Meghan will have to walk the tightrope between personal belief and her royal persona. — Daisy Goodwin, Time, "How Meghan Markle Is Giving the Royal Family the Shake-Up It Needs," 17 May 2018 His international experience featured a complex offensive system that eschewed isolation and embraced ball movement. — Greg Moore, azcentral, "Moore: With No. 1 pick, cap space and talented young players, it's all about the now for Suns," 15 May 2018 Another memorial proposal featuring a prominent centerpiece is that of Harvey Pratt, which eschews the military emphasis of the star symbol at the core of Wellspring of Valor in favor of a simpler geometric form: the circle. — Ryan P. Smith, Smithsonian, "This Innovative Memorial Will Soon Honor Native American Veterans," 11 May 2018 Well, there’s now a more attainable version of the same, with Shure announcing the $1,999 KSE1200, which eschew the digital signal processor (DSP) and ship only with an accompanying amplifier. — Vlad Savov, The Verge, "Shure makes its superb electrostatic earphones a touch more affordable at $1,999," 30 Apr. 2018 This placed them behind every competitor listed here, including the Chevrolet Cruze diesel, which eschews electrification but still topped 50 mpg on our highway loop. — Car and Driver, "2018 Ford C-Max," 22 Mar. 2018 To save energy, there weren’t any practice swings, and driving off of tees was eschewed, Krzynowek noted. — Daniel I. Dorfman, chicagotribune.com, "A Lake Bluff golf course needs private funding to stay open. Local golfers are doing all they can to make it happen.," 3 July 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.