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escape

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noun

Synonym Chooser

How does the verb escape contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of escape are avoid, elude, eschew, evade, and shun. While all these words mean "to get away or keep away from something," escape stresses the fact of getting away or being passed by not necessarily through effort or by conscious intent.

nothing escapes her sharp eyes

When could avoid be used to replace escape?

The words avoid and escape can be used in similar contexts, but avoid stresses forethought and caution in keeping clear of danger or difficulty.

try to avoid past errors

When is it sensible to use elude instead of escape?

The words elude and escape are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, elude implies a slippery or baffling quality in the person or thing that escapes.

what she sees in him eludes me

When is eschew a more appropriate choice than escape?

While in some cases nearly identical to escape, eschew implies an avoiding or abstaining from as unwise or distasteful.

a playwright who eschews melodrama

When can evade be used instead of escape?

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

evaded the question by changing the subject

When would shun be a good substitute for escape?

The meanings of shun and escape largely overlap; however, 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 escape
Verb
Puff Puff escaped her cat carrier while in the car while driving to the new house. Mark Weinstein, MSNBC Newsweek, 27 Apr. 2025 Lewis stunned Ziggy with a punch to the eye, jumped into the enclosure’s moat and escaped. Kori Rumore, Chicago Tribune, 26 Apr. 2025
Noun
Two exhibitions focused on weaving go beyond the functional, the folkloric, and the feminine, tracking fiber’s escape from the connotations of the grid. Susan Tallman, The New York Review of Books, 25 Apr. 2025 At his sentencing hearing in November, Francis also pleaded guilty to a charge related to his September 2022 escape from house arrest. Alex Riggins, Mercury News, 24 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for escape
Recent Examples of Synonyms for escape
Verb
  • Six months later, in May 2024, CNN published footage from a security camera at the InterContinental Hotel in Los Angeles showing Ventura fleeing a room, only to be attacked by Combs, who is seen wearing a white towel around his waist and socks.
    Danielle Bacher, People.com, 2 May 2025
  • The pair then flee into the building’s stairwell, but a wounded, knife-wielding Jimenez follows hot on their tails and another struggle ensues that ends as the victim succumbs to his wounds.
    Colin Mixson, New York Daily News, 2 May 2025
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
Noun
  • A number of recent safety incidents at the airport have raised alarm, including a March 28 incident involving a Delta flight and a group of Air Force jets.
    David Shepardson, USA Today, 3 May 2025
  • Chevrolet provided flights from Washington, DC, to Charlotte and accommodation so Ars could drive the Blazer EV SS.
    ArsTechnica, ArsTechnica, 2 May 2025
Noun
  • According to the Global Tax Evasion Report 2024, tax evasion by wealthy individuals has declined by a factor of three over the last ten years.
    Kelly Phillips Erb, Forbes.com, 25 Apr. 2025
  • In the meantime, many of the wealthiest Americans have embraced tax evasion.
    Made by History, Time, 15 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • Conerly and several family members flew from Seattle to the other Washington.
    Ben Standig, New York Times, 26 Apr. 2025
  • Trump also directed that U.S. flags be flown at half-staff in Francis’ honor.
    Darlene Superville, Los Angeles Times, 26 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • Until the masses adopt it, fraudsters can simply avoid platforms that require World ID and continue doing business as usual.
    Jennifer Jolly, USA Today, 2 May 2025
  • These are the top shades for avoiding sun damage and small talk.
    Scott Gilbertson, Wired News, 1 May 2025
Noun
  • Travelers will need to show documents with the following in order to get a REAL ID-compliant license or ID, per DHS: Need a break?
    Nathan Diller, USA Today, 24 Apr. 2025
  • Exposure to natural light and fresh air can help regulate your sleep cycle and give your mind a break from screens or daily stressors.
    Lindsay Curtis, Health, 23 Apr. 2025
Noun
  • The most recent occurred last November, which was the first for 2024, though it was followed about a week later by another avoidance burn.
    Josh Dinner, Space.com, 1 May 2025
  • These fears can manifest as procrastination, avoidance, perfectionism, and even self-sabotage.
    Caroline Castrillon, Forbes.com, 29 Apr. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Escape.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/escape. Accessed 6 May. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on escape

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