Synonym Chooser

How does the verb elude contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of elude are avoid, escape, eschew, evade, and shun. While all these words mean "to get away or keep away from something," elude implies a slippery or baffling quality in the person or thing that escapes.

what she sees in him eludes me

When can avoid be used instead of elude?

While the synonyms avoid and elude are close in meaning, avoid stresses forethought and caution in keeping clear of danger or difficulty.

try to avoid past errors

When would escape be a good substitute for elude?

In some situations, the words escape and elude are roughly equivalent. However, escape stresses the fact of getting away or being passed by not necessarily through effort or by conscious intent.

nothing escapes her sharp eyes

Where would eschew be a reasonable alternative to elude?

Although the words eschew and elude have much in common, eschew implies an avoiding or abstaining from as unwise or distasteful.

a playwright who eschews melodrama

When is evade a more appropriate choice than elude?

The synonyms evade and elude are sometimes interchangeable, but evade implies adroitness, ingenuity, or lack of scruple in escaping or avoiding.

evaded the question by changing the subject

When could shun be used to replace elude?

While in some cases nearly identical to elude, 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 elude Thanks to his cover identity, Pilecki eluded detection. Paul Hockenos, Smithsonian Magazine, 8 May 2025 The Cubs had runners in scoring position in the second, third and fourth innings but came away with only one run on a windblown fly ball by Pete Crow-Armstrong that blew in several feet and eluded Heliot Ramos in left for an RBI double. Paul Sullivan, Chicago Tribune, 7 May 2025 In the bottom of the second inning Wednesday afternoon, on the last day of what had been a torturous opening month to the season,Max Muncy finally did the thing that had eluded him over an ice-cold start. Houston Mitchell, Los Angeles Times, 2 May 2025 Suddenly the success that had always eluded Pavement was happening at a level never seen before. Mark Olsen, Los Angeles Times, 8 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for elude
Recent Examples of Synonyms for elude
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
  • Make sure to maintain an upright torso and avoid leaning forward or backward.
    Laura Schober, Health, 13 May 2025
  • The absence of ducts avoids renovation costs and minimizes construction inconvenience.
    Jon Stojan, USA Today, 13 May 2025
Verb
  • Also, take some time to examine the perimeter of your yard to ensure any gates and fences are secure and don’t have any gaps through which your pup can easily escape.
    Cody Godwin, USA Today, 22 May 2025
  • Tens of thousands of Afghans pursued the special immigration process and escaped with the exit of U.S. forces, fearing retaliation up to death with the return of Taliban rule.
    Carolyn Komatsoulis, Idaho Statesman, 22 May 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Elude.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/elude. Accessed 25 May. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on elude

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