Synonym Chooser

How does the verb avoid contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of avoid are elude, escape, eschew, evade, and shun. While all these words mean "to get away or keep away from something," avoid stresses forethought and caution in keeping clear of danger or difficulty.

try to avoid past errors

When might elude be a better fit than avoid?

While the synonyms elude and avoid are close in meaning, elude implies a slippery or baffling quality in the person or thing that escapes.

what she sees in him eludes me

When is it sensible to use escape instead of avoid?

The words escape and avoid are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, escape stresses the fact of getting away or being passed by not necessarily through effort or by conscious intent.

nothing escapes her sharp eyes

In what contexts can eschew take the place of avoid?

The words eschew and avoid can be used in similar contexts, but eschew implies an avoiding or abstaining from as unwise or distasteful.

a playwright who eschews melodrama

When can evade be used instead of avoid?

In some situations, the words evade and avoid are roughly equivalent. However, evade implies adroitness, ingenuity, or lack of scruple in escaping or avoiding.

evaded the question by changing the subject

Where would shun be a reasonable alternative to avoid?

While in some cases nearly identical to avoid, shun often implies an avoiding as a matter of habitual practice or policy and may imply repugnance or abhorrence.

you have shunned your responsibilities

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of avoid Better to avoid certain topics or stories, lest your show, article, or media outlet become the next NTV. Joshua Yaffa, New Yorker, 26 Sep. 2025 Here's how to avoid these symptoms, according to sleep experts. Maggie O'Neill, Verywell Health, 26 Sep. 2025 The Blue Jays also got two home runs as part of a six-run bottom of the sixth, with Daulton Varsho’s grand slam and George Springer’s ensuing two-run homer providing all the offense Toronto needed to avoid the series sweep. Mac Cerullo, Boston Herald, 26 Sep. 2025 When exfoliating, be gentle with your skin and use upward circles to avoid stretching and pulling at your skin. Sherri Gordon, Health, 26 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for avoid
Recent Examples of Synonyms for avoid
Verb
  • Slimy Lunch Meats Lunch meats are one of those things that often evade clean-outs.
    Heather Bien, Southern Living, 30 Sep. 2025
  • But when the Coast Guard approached on a 45-foot response boat, authorities said, the cuddy cabin boat began racing south to evade arrest.
    Teri Figueroa, San Diego Union-Tribune, 29 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • Last week, Reform pledged to abolish indefinite leave to remain (ILR), which gives migrants settled status in Britain.
    Christian Edwards, CNN Money, 30 Sep. 2025
  • Among 16 to 24-year-olds, 67 percent wanted to abolish compared to 30 percent who would keep the crown.
    Jack Royston, MSNBC Newsweek, 28 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • Previously, the story followed Zagreus, the painfully cool son of Hades who spent his days making a break for the surface world to escape the overbearing grip of his father.
    Christopher Cruz, Rolling Stone, 27 Sep. 2025
  • Despite sustaining some minor injuries — Ethan sustained several cuts, scrapes and bruises while Brandon sustained a small burn on his forehead and scarring on his hands — the pair escaped relatively unscathed, physically.
    Abigail Adams, PEOPLE, 27 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • This simple transmitter plugs into the headphone jack on your screen and connects to your favorite noise-canceling headphones to drown out the sounds of other passengers while allowing for hours of entertainment with your own personal earbuds.
    Merrell Readman, Travel + Leisure, 27 Sep. 2025
  • While airlines don't yet have travel advisories for travel to and from Phoenix, airlines generally rebook passengers on the next available flight at no additional cost when a flight is canceled or delayed.
    Michael Salerno, AZCentral.com, 26 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • Being less direct and formal can help prevent your kid putting a wall up — as can chatting during car rides since not being face-to-face can feel less intimidating for them.
    Kristen Rogers, CNN Money, 26 Sep. 2025
  • The rise in organized thefts has become a major talking point for advocates who are asking the state to step in to do more to prevent the violent encounters.
    Kyle Martin, Mercury News, 26 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • Some of the laws lapsed and were never renewed, some were repealed, and judges struck down others as violations of the First Amendment.
    Time, Time, 29 Sep. 2025
  • The strategist noted that Youngkin’s message on parental rights and education is often the main takeaway from his campaign, but there were other important messages, including repealing the state’s grocery tax.
    Julia Manchester, The Hill, 28 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • Unlike traditional approaches, HydroSpread lets ultrathin polymer films form directly on water, eliminating the fragile and error-prone step of transferring films from rigid surfaces.
    Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 26 Sep. 2025
  • The bond is infused with biotin to nourish while gripping lash clusters securely, and the seal is enriched with vitamin E to eliminate tacky residue and keep everything looking seamless.
    Jailynn Taylor, Allure, 25 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • In June, a three-judge panel had ruled unanimously that teaching yoga is protected speech and that city officials had failed to show how the classes threaten public safety or prevent enjoyment of the city’s shoreline parks, overturning a lower court’s ruling.
    Kelly Davis, San Diego Union-Tribune, 30 Sep. 2025
  • Another company explored the Bend and Reef deposits in 2011 and 2012, but since then no further action was taken, partially due to a mining moratorium in Wisconsin in place until the state Legislature overturned it in 2017.
    Laura Schulte, jsonline.com, 29 Sep. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Avoid.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/avoid. Accessed 3 Oct. 2025.

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