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 Steer clear of windows and avoid large open spaces like cafeterias, gymnasiums, or auditoriums. Nc Weather Bot, Charlotte Observer, 13 May 2025 Inside and outside the organization, the prevailing belief was that the Celtics would need to undergo significant changes this offseason to avoid such an enormous salary bill. Jay King, New York Times, 13 May 2025 In March, Honda had reportedly decided to produce its next-generation Civic hybrid in the U.S. state of Indiana, instead of Mexico, to avoid potential tariffs on one of its top-selling car models, Reuters reported. Lim Hui Jie, CNBC, 13 May 2025 The absence of ducts avoids renovation costs and minimizes construction inconvenience. Jon Stojan, USA Today, 13 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for avoid
Recent Examples of Synonyms for avoid
Verb
  • Engineered to evade interception by U.S. defenses such as THAAD, the missile presents a direct challenge to Western military dominance and poses a potential threat to regional allies like Israel.
    Amir Daftari, MSNBC Newsweek, 9 May 2025
  • Vita's Ukrainian mother (my grandmother) survived as an orphan for two years under German occupation and barely evaded being carted off to Germany to work as a forced laborer.
    Sasha Vasilyuk, Time, 8 May 2025
Verb
  • More news to know now The acting FEMA administrator was replaced after contradicting Trump on abolishing the agency.
    Nicole Fallert, USA Today, 10 May 2025
  • In February 1987, Sir Joseph Cantley found the club and county council, by then abolished, two-thirds and one-third responsible.
    Richard Sutcliffe, New York Times, 10 May 2025
Verb
  • An Army spokesman on Thursday confirmed that two inmates tried to escape late last month.
    Robert A. Cronkleton, Kansas City Star, 9 May 2025
  • Though their time together was fleeting, her daughter Teresa, who is going to unintentionally enter the same dangerous environment her mother once escaped, will live with the effects.
    Sixteen Ramos, USA Today, 9 May 2025
Verb
  • The Trump administration is facing another legal challenge over its immigration policies, after it was reported Temporary Protected Status (TPS) would be cancelled for thousands of Afghans and Cameroonians.
    Dan Gooding, MSNBC Newsweek, 9 May 2025
  • Critical research trials have already been canceled midstream.
    Karen Weintraub, USA Today, 9 May 2025
Verb
  • Megan had filed a restraining order against Lanez in December 2024 asking that the Los Angeles Superior Court judge prevent Lanez from allegedly harassing Megan from prison through third parties during his10-year jail sentence.
    Ilana Kaplan, People.com, 12 May 2025
  • Routine cleaning and maintenance can also lower energy bills and improve the air quality in your home by eliminating dust and preventing mold and mildew from forming.
    Jolie Kerr, Better Homes & Gardens, 12 May 2025
Verb
  • House Republicans passed a measure Thursday that would repeal the government’s decision to place California’s longfin smelt, a finger-sized fish, on the endangered species list.
    Ian James, Los Angeles Times, 1 May 2025
  • Sun Sentinel Bill to end limits on who can sue for medical malpractice stalls in Florida Senate The Florida Senate appeared on the verge Wednesday of passing a bill to repeal an exception in the state’s medical-malpractice laws.
    South Florida Sun Sentinel, Sun Sentinel, 1 May 2025
Verb
  • Otherwise, people could end up eliminating outperforming funds from the outset.
    Medora Lee, USA Today, 14 May 2025
  • Others honored at the event included Peggy Gillespie, co-founder/director of Family Diversity Projects, a national nonprofit organization devoted to eliminating discrimination.
    Dave Quinn, People.com, 13 May 2025
Verb
  • But in April, the state’s Court of Appeals, which has a Republican majority, issued a three-sentence decision overturning the lower court’s ruling without hearing oral arguments.
    Doug Bock Clark, ProPublica, 16 May 2025
  • President Donald Trump has stated that birthright citizenship — which his administration is trying to overturn in court — was originally intended for a narrow group of people: the children of slaves.
    Brendan Rascius, Miami Herald, 15 May 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Avoid.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/avoid. Accessed 20 May. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on avoid

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