elusion

noun

ē-ˈlü-zhən How to pronounce elusion (audio)
Definition of elusionnext
as in escape
the act or a means of getting or keeping away from something undesirable his artful elusion of the worst work assignments

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 elusion We’re left to draw our own conclusions about that period, especially as the present-day Andrésen looks back on it here with more innuendo and elusion than frank remembrance. — Gary Goldstein, Los Angeles Times, 23 Sep. 2021 Emphasizing defense, his boxing instructor prods him to master the art of elusion, of hitting without being hit. — Gordon Marino, WSJ, 10 Jan. 2019
Recent Examples of Synonyms for elusion
  1. escape
  2. evasion
  3. avoidance
Noun
  • Inside, each cell had a toilet and a bed and was covered by wire netting, presumably to prevent escape.
    — Jonathan Blitzer, New Yorker, 13 July 2026
  • Local media suggest crowded conditions, obstructed escape routes, and panic may have hampered evacuation.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 13 July 2026
Definition of escape
Noun
  • In the early days of the republic, there were many radicals and reformers who shared my suspicion that patriotism was an evasion, substituting songs and speeches about liberty for the reality.
    — Dominic Erdozain, Time, 3 July 2026
  • The electoral authority based the candidate bans on a law against corrupt practices that in previous years saw some parliamentary seats bought with money linked to drug trafficking, corruption and tax evasion.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 2 July 2026
Definition of evasion
Noun
  • For locomotion, researchers insert tiny electrodes directly into the cockroach's antennae to hijack its natural obstacle-avoidance behavior.
    — New Atlas, New Atlas, 18 July 2026
  • Every improvement in surveillance capability encourages new methods of avoidance, whether through disabling tracking devices, manipulating vessel identities, or exploiting gaps between different monitoring systems.
    — IEEE Spectrum, IEEE Spectrum, 16 July 2026
Definition of avoidance

Browse Nearby Words

eluding
elusion
elusive
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Elusion.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/elusion. Accessed 19 Jul. 2026.

Copy Citation
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

Commonly Misspelled Words
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat

The Longest Long Words List

Ten Words Ending with a Silent ‘T’

The Words of the Week - Jul 17
See More

Popular

See More

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
child-detective
Spot the Misspelled Word July 2026 Those little red underlines can't help you now...
See All