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

The way new timepieces are presented is changing, too, with an increasing number of brands eschewing the traditional watch fairs: SIHH in Geneva and Baselworld in, yes, Basel. — Michael Clerizo, WSJ, "The Best Watches of 2018," 18 Dec. 2018 The last of the seven members of the class of 2018 on hand to be enshrined, Lewis eschewed notes and the lectern, instead strolling along the stage and passionately urging his listeners to come together. — Barry Wilner, Fox News, "Ray Lewis urges togetherness, love in Hall of Fame speech," 5 Aug. 2018 Anyone else might want to wait until this once no-doubt fascinating libretto by Giacinto Cigognini gets a rewrite (though Haymarket, committed to historical authenticity, would eschew that). — Deanna Isaacs, Chicago Reader, "Arts / Opera / Performing Arts Haymarket Opera's L'Orontea is a time machine to the 17th century," 5 June 2018 Kelly Kim and her husband wanted the name of their new pan-Asian restaurant to stand out, eschewing bland or stereotypical phrases, like bamboo, dragon and lotus. — The Washington Post, NOLA.com, "Whole Foods called racist for Yellow Fever restaurant; its Asian-American owner disagrees," 29 Apr. 2018 For Christian Carlson, 26, a digital marketer in Lisbon who used to live in Beijing, the decision to eschew coats is about mobility. — Jacob Gallagher, WSJ, "What’s Up With Men Who Don’t Wear Coats in Winter?," 8 Jan. 2019 Madden posed with the equally suavely suited Elba (who eschewed black tie for a rapier-sharp gray Giorgio Armani check suit)—definitely two candidates for the evening’s best dressed (and rumoured OO7 contenders). — Vogue, "Claire Foy, Idris Elba, Anna Wintour, Sophie Okonedo, Ralph Fiennes, and the Cast of Hamilton Fete the 64th Evening Standard Theatre Awards," 19 Nov. 2018 Fittingly, the regional capital of Saransk is somewhat of a hub for young adults who eschew mainstream sports like soccer in favor of a competition that features contestants wearing armor and wielding swords reminiscent of medieval times. — Mauricio Savarese, Fox News, "World Cup host set for historical fencing to forget soccer," 1 July 2018 The businesses served the pioneering motorists who eschewed railroad travel in favor of making the arduous journey between Los Angeles and Bakersfield in their Dodge Tourings and Model Ts. — Scott Garner, latimes.com, "Neighborhood Spotlight: Sun Valley again finds itself navigating bumps in the road," 29 June 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.