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

Three minutes of comedy chasing and evasive action ensued before play resumed, only for the four-legged fiend to return to wreak more havoc than the home attack had previously shown. —Craig Chisnall, New York Times, 7 Feb. 2026

Cast members have been evasive to the point of parody. —Ana Gutierrez, Austin American Statesman, 27 Jan. 2026

People will create companions based on a few traits and a general vibe – ‘supportive but evasive’, ‘confident but conflict avoidant’, ‘direct, honest, and smarter than me’. —Shaw Walters, Forbes.com, 23 Jan. 2026

Air travelers have already encountered near misses, such as when a test flight of SpaceX’s Starship vehicle last year scattered debris across a swath of the Caribbean and forced aircraft to take evasive action. —Lee Billings, Scientific American, 21 Jan. 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