evasive

adjective

eva·​sive i-ˈvā-siv 

-ziv, 

ē-

: tending or intended to evade : equivocal

evasive answers

evasively adverb

evasiveness noun

Synonyms of evasive

• elusive

Examples of evasive in a Sentence

She gave an evasive answer.

They took evasive action to avoid capture.

Recent Examples on the Web

But even the comms team seemed evasive. —Ashley Belanger, ArsTechnica, 4 June 2026

Political savvy should make a leader more candid, not more evasive. —Harrison Monarth, Forbes.com, 31 May 2026

Ukrainian pilots have also adopted evasive actions at extremely low altitudes. —Christopher McFadden, Interesting Engineering, 25 May 2026

The driver of the Chevrolet cut in and out of traffic, causing other drivers to take evasive actions to avoid a collision, according to court documents. —Kansas City Star, 19 May 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1637, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

evasive

adjective

eva·​sive i-ˈvā-siv 

-ziv

: tending or meant to evade

gave an evasive answer

evasively adverb

evasiveness noun

Legal Definition

evasive

adjective

eva·​sive i-ˈvā-siv, -ziv 

: tending or intending to evade

Note: Under Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 37(a)(4), an evasive or incomplete answer to an interrogatory or to a question at a deposition is treated as a failure to answer and may be subject to an opponent's motion to compel an answer.

evasively adverb

evasiveness noun