escapes; escaped; escaping
1
a
: to get away from a place (such as a prison) where you are being held or kept
The prisoner escaped (from jail).
an escaped convict [=a convict who has escaped from prison]
b
: to get away from a dangerous place or situation
The boat sank but the crew escaped (unharmed).
They managed to escape from the burning building.
2
: to get away from something that is difficult or unpleasant
He needed a vacation to escape the routine of daily life.
She moved to the city to escape the memory of her mother's death.
trying to help people to escape poverty
trying to help people to escape from poverty
This vacation will give us a chance to escape (from the routine of daily life).
escape from reality
3
: to avoid something : to not experience something (such as disease or injury)
He succeeded in escaping punishment for many years.
A few passengers somehow escaped injury.
escaped being injured
She barely/narrowly escaped death/disaster when her car slid off the road.
Many cases of fraud escape detection. [=are not detected]
Several passengers escaped without injury.
She narrowly escaped with her life. [=she narrowly avoided death]
4
: to fail to be remembered or noticed by (someone)
His name escapes me. [=I can't remember his name]
Nothing escapes her. = Nothing escapes her notice.
5
: to come out from somewhere
A bit of light escaped through the cracks.
: to leak out
Gas is escaping from the tank.
6
literary
: to come out or be spoken without being intended
A sigh of relief escaped her. [=she sighed in relief without realizing that she was doing it]
A sigh escaped from her lips.
plural escapes
1
: an act of escaping from a place, situation, etc.
The prisoners attempted a daring escape.
He celebrated his escape from his boring job with a long vacation.
He made his escape. = He made good his escape. [=he succeeded in escaping]
She had a lucky escape when she wasn't injured in the accident.
She managed to avoid serious injury, but it was a narrow escape.
2
: a way of escaping from a place, situation, etc.
The door was locked; there was no escape.
Gardening offered an escape from her busy life.
3
: an occurrence in which an amount of liquid or gas passes out through a hole or crack in a container
an accidental escape of poisonous gases
trying to prevent further escape of liquid
Cite this Entry
“Escape.” Merriam-Webster.com Simple Definition, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/simple/escape. Accessed 22 Jun. 2026.
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