escape

1 the act or an instance of getting free from danger or confinement a daring prison escape Synonyms of escape break, breakout, bunk [British], flight, getaway, lam, rout, slip Words Related to escape jailbreak; deliverance, liberation, redemption, release, rescue, salvation; close call, close shave, near miss Near Antonyms of escape captivity, confinement, immurement, imprisonment, incarceration, internment; custody, detention, hold, holding, retention; endangerment, hazard, imperilment, jeopardy, peril, risk, trouble

2 the act or a means of getting or keeping away from something undesirable the reading of science fiction novels as an escape from boring reality Synonyms of escape avoidance, cop-out, dodging, ducking, eluding, elusion, eschewal, eschewing, evasion, out, shaking, shunning Words Related to escape bypassing, circumvention, runaround, sidestepping, skirting; averting, deflection, obviation, precluding, prevention Near Antonyms of escape abidance, endurance, submission, toleration

1 to get free from a dangerous or confining situation everyone managed to escape from the burning building in time Synonyms of escape abscond, break out (of), clear out, flee, fly, get out, lam, run away, run off Words Related to escape avoid, elude, evade, lose, shun; decamp, depart, elope, exit, go, leave, move, pull out, quit, sally (forth), shove (off), take off, walk out; disentangle, extricate; bring off, emancipate, enfranchise, free, liberate, loose, loosen, manumit, redeem, release, rescue, spring, unbind, uncage, unchain, unfetter Phrases break free Near Antonyms of escape abide, dwell, hang around, linger, remain, stay, stick around, tarry; come back, return

2 to get or keep away from (as a responsibility) through cleverness or trickery a judge who is very determined not to let criminals escape punishment Synonyms of escape avoid, dodge, duck, elude, eschew, evade, finesse, get around, scape, shake, shirk, shuffle (out of), shun, weasel (out of) Words Related to escape miss; avert, deflect, divert, obviate, parry, prevent, ward (off); ban, bar, debar, eliminate, except, exclude, preclude, rule out; bypass, circumvent, skirt; foil, fox, frustrate, outfox, outsmart, outwit, overreach, thwart Phrases fight shy of, keep clear of, stay clear of, steer clear of Near Antonyms of escape accept, court, embrace, pursue, seek, welcome; catch, contract, incur