evasive

1 of 2

adjective

eva·​sive i-ˈvā-siv 

-ziv, 

ē-

: tending or intended to evade : equivocal

evasive answers

evasively adverb

evasiveness noun

evasiveness

2 of 2

noun

eva·​sive·​ness

|ivnə̇s, 

|ēv- also |əv-

plural -es

: the quality or condition of being evasive

the most crushing blow of all has been the evasiveness of peace

—T. H. Fielding

Synonyms of evasive

Adjective

• elusive

Examples of evasive in a Sentence

Adjective

She gave an evasive answer.

They took evasive action to avoid capture.

Recent Examples on the Web

Adjective

Caballero followed with a foul fly to left and Grisham scored ahead of David Fry's off-target throw home with an evasive headfirst slide. —Cbs New York Team, CBS News, 10 June 2026

Kim Kardashian and Kanye West got married in a literal fortress in Florence, Italy in 2014, at a venue designed to be evasive from intruders during times of war, and photographers still managed to get shockingly clear images. —Alli Rosenbloom, CNN Money, 9 June 2026

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

Word History

First Known Use

Adjective

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