evasion

noun

eva·​sion i-ˈvā-zhən 

ē-

1

: a means of evading : dodge

Bankruptcy becomes a kind of evasion when firms, some of them still profitable, attempt to avoid obligations that are merely inconvenient.

—Mary Graham

2

: the act or an instance of evading : escape

suspected of tax evasion

Synonyms of evasion

• escape
• avoidance

Examples of evasion in a Sentence

He was arrested for tax evasion.

They came up with an evasion of the law to keep all the land for themselves.

His reply was nothing but careful evasions.

Recent Examples on the Web

In 1931, Capone was sent to prison for tax evasion and served 6 1/2 years, most of them at the Alcatraz Island in San Francisco Bay. —Miami Herald Archives, Miami Herald, 26 Jan. 2026

This year, Williams has been able to break through with some of the longer runs, his excitement oozing out of him on the field and in press conferences when discussing his evasion of a tackler, his cut and the blocks that allowed it. —Adam Grosbard, Oc Register, 23 Jan. 2026

Williamson is accused of a fraudulent scheme to divert campaign funds and of tax evasion. —Andrew Graham, Sacbee.com, 23 Jan. 2026

Victor Dawson, 52, is charged with two counts of felony wage theft, two counts of felony tax evasion, one count of misdemeanor tax evasion and one count of felony embezzlement, according to the Alameda County District Attorney’s Office. —Jason Green, Mercury News, 22 Jan. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Anglo-French or Late Latin; Anglo-French, from Late Latin evasion-, evasio, from Latin evadere to evade

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for evasion

• abrasion
• caucasian
• equation
• eurasian
• invasion
• occasion
• persuasion
• asian
• suasion
• athanasian

Kids Definition

evasion

noun

eva·​sion i-ˈvā-zhən 

1

: a means of evading

2

: the act or an instance of evading : escape

tax evasion

Legal Definition

evasion

noun

eva·​sion i-ˈvā-zhən 

1

: a means of evading

2

: the act or an instance of evading see also tax evasion