evade

play

verb \i-ˈvād, ē-\

Definition of evade

evaded

;

evading

intransitive verb
1 : to slip away
2 : to take refuge in escape or avoidance
transitive verb
1 : to elude by dexterity or stratagem
2a : to avoid facing up to evaded the real issuesb : to avoid the performance of : dodge, circumvent; especially : to fail to pay (taxes)c : to avoid answering directly : turn aside
3 : to be elusive to : baffle the simple, personal meaning evaded them — C. D. Lewis

evadable

play \i-ˈvā-də-bəl. ē-\ adjective

evader

noun

See evade defined for English-language learners

See evade defined for kids

Examples of evade in a Sentence

The criminals have so far managed to evade the police.
a politician skilled at evading difficult questions
The governor has been accused of evading the issue.

Recent Examples of evade from the Web

Colony NorthStar Inc. Chairman Tom Barrack is accused by Italian prosecutors of conspiring to evade $190 million in taxes in the sale of luxury properties.

— Bloomberg.com, "Tom Barrack Denies $190 Million Italian Tax Evasion Claim", 1 June 2017
Their basic finding was that about 3% of personal taxes are evaded overall in Scandinavia, but the figure rises to 30% among the top 0.01% of income earners.

— michael hiltzik, chicagotribune.com, "Study points to another advantage of the 1%: They're great at evading taxes", 1 June 2017
The Justice Department is asking the jury to conclude that the 36-story building and other properties should be forfeited to the U.S. government, because they were being used to evade U.S. sanctions against Iran.

— the associated press, The Seattle Times, "US lawyer: Iran secretly controls NYC office building", 30 May 2017
Many of these devices were used to evade the Court’s decision.

— katie nodjimbadem, Smithsonian, "The Racial Segregation of American Cities Was Anything But Accidental", 30 May 2017
Philippine National Police Chief Ronald de la Rosa said the operation takes time because Marawi is urban, allowing gunmen to move quickly from building to building to evade capture.

— jim gomez / ap, Time, "Philippine Forces Are Making Gains in the Southern City Under ISIS-Linked Siege", 29 May 2017
In the fog and mist, the smugglers evaded the Narwhal and escaped.

— david c. henley, Daily Pilot, "Narwhal, a Coast Guard cutter with a proud history, is ready for any eventuality", 26 May 2017
The investment plan, which will total $800 million over 10 years, is part of Volkswagen's obligation under a multi-billion settlement for evading pollution rules.

— chris megerian, latimes.com, "Volkswagen's clean car plan falls short in low-income neighborhoods, California regulators say", 25 May 2017
But bacteria have a knack for evading these roadblocks, so researchers are now looking to use the little critters to make drugs inside your body or nudge your immune system.

— wired staff, WIRED, "Turning Bugs Into Drugs", 1 Aug. 2005

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

Origin and Etymology of evade

Middle French & Latin; Middle French evader, from Latin evadere, from e- + vadere to go, walk — more at wade

First Known Use: 1513

Synonym Discussion of evade

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

EVADE Defined for English Language Learners

evade

play

verb

Definition of evade for English Language Learners

: to stay away from (someone or something) : to avoid (someone or something)
: to avoid dealing with or facing (something)
: to avoid doing (something required)

EVADE Defined for Kids

evade

play

verb \i-ˈvād\

Definition of evade for Students

evaded

;

evading

: to get away from or avoid meeting directly evade a question

Law Dictionary

evade

play

transitive verb \i-ˈvād\

Legal Definition of evade

evaded

evading

1 : to unlawfully fail to pay (taxes) through fraudulent or deceptive means — compare avoid
2 : to avoid answering directly trying to evade the question