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 But it was avoided at that time with a mix of strong economic growth, disinflation and a robust labor market encouraged by the Federal Reserve, Daco said. Lorie Konish, CNBC, 19 Apr. 2025 Live-ball turnovers are the equivalent of a battlefield ambush—Milwaukee must avoid them at all costs. Brian Sampson, Forbes.com, 18 Apr. 2025 The Razorbacks are looking to avoid their first SEC series loss at home since 2022. Matt Jones, Arkansas Online, 18 Apr. 2025 Just be sure to clean them after each use to avoid spreading any germs. Iman Balagam, Vogue, 18 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for avoid
Recent Examples of Synonyms for avoid
Verb
  • The key benefits of integration include: • Enhanced Threat Detection: By unifying security tools, organizations can achieve a holistic view of their threat landscape, enabling the identification of sophisticated attacks that might evade stand-alone systems.
    Bob Kruse, Forbes.com, 29 Apr. 2025
  • The Wisconsin Supreme Court has suspended a judge accused of helping a man evade immigration authorities.
    CBS News, CBS News, 29 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • The most recent collective bargaining agreement, signed by the players and the league, abolished the college draft and opened the door for every new player to enter the league as a free agent.
    Meg Linehan, New York Times, 26 Apr. 2025
  • Others, like the Cato Institute, go one step further and suggest FEMA be abolished entirely, replaced by market solutions and state compacts.
    Alexander Puutio, Forbes.com, 25 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • Tesla needs Musk's technical brilliance but can't escape the collateral damage of his polarizing public persona.
    Allen Adamson, Forbes.com, 28 Apr. 2025
  • While they were gone, the tiny dog escaped and sprinted off into the wilderness.
    Sarah Kuta, Smithsonian Magazine, 28 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • Trump skipped three times during his last presidency (the 2020 affair was cancelled due to the coronavirus pandemic).
    Jay Stahl, USA Today, 27 Apr. 2025
  • Organizers and the Kennedy Center have canceled a week’s worth of events celebrating LGBTQ+ rights for this summer’s World Pride festival in Washington amid a shift in priorities and the ousting of leadership at one of the nation’s premier cultural institutions.
    Ashraf Khalil, Los Angeles Times, 26 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • To prevent mold, be cautious when storing homemade bread.
    Katie Rosenhouse, Southern Living, 18 Apr. 2025
  • Retaining walls also prevent erosion and control water run-off in a front yard or garden.
    Katherine McLaughlin, Architectural Digest, 18 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • The question is whether the Trump administration is entitled to repeal a rule that was upheld specifically by the Supreme Court and therefore subject to precedent, said Patrick Parenteau, an emeritus professor at the Vermont Law and Graduate School who has handled endangered species cases.
    Bill Kearney, Sun Sentinel, 24 Apr. 2025
  • In the last two weeks, Trump issued an executive order directing agencies to sunset every existing energy regulation by next year and, in a separate memorandum, said those agencies may repeal certain regulations without allowing the public to weigh in.
    Nichola Groom and Valerie Volcovici, USA Today, 23 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • The other four teams that did it (2021-22 New Orleans Pelicans, 2010-11 Indiana Pacers, 2007-08 Atlanta Hawks and 2003-04 Boston Celtics) all were eliminated in the first round of the playoffs.
    Anthony Chiang, Miami Herald, 20 Apr. 2025
  • Anything less would be another painful letdown after Messi and Miami were eliminated by Atlanta United in the opening round of last year’s MLS playoffs.
    Felipe Cardenas, New York Times, 20 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • The case had long been viewed by Palin and other conservatives as a possible vehicle to overturn the 1964 U.S. Supreme Court landmark New York Times v. Sullivan.
    Luc Cohen, USA Today, 23 Apr. 2025
  • Still to be determined is Vessel’s plan in Glastonbury; the town rejected it, and Vessel won a Superior Court lawsuit to overturn that decision.
    Don Stacom, Hartford Courant, 23 Apr. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Avoid.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/avoid. Accessed 2 May. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on avoid

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