1
as in flees
to get free from a dangerous or confining situation
everyone managed to escape from the burning building in time
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in evades
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 & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in breaks
the act or an instance of getting free from danger or confinement
a daring prison escape
Synonyms & Similar Words
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 escapes
Clio Chang, Curbed, 17 May 2026
Coltrane escapes trouble at every turn in the finale episode.
—Skyler Trepel, PEOPLE, 16 May 2026
After Coltrane runs off and escapes and Isiah tends to his vengeance-seeking son Noah’s leg wound?
—Dominic Patten, Deadline, 15 May 2026
Fleeing a botched con and the threat of wartime violence, 29-year-old Ulises Linares escapes 1943 Mexico City for the small town of Puerco Ahogado in Veracruz.
—Paula L. Woods, Los Angeles Times, 12 May 2026
Lint that escapes the trap reduces efficiency and increases the risk of a vent fire if it’s left to build up over time.
—Lauren Jarvis-Gibson, Miami Herald, 12 May 2026
Great cities have great green spaces, serving as peaceful urban playgrounds and perfect escapes from the surrounding concrete jungle.
—Erika Ebsworth-Goold, Travel + Leisure, 12 May 2026
Yet no historian ever escapes that burden.
—Jill Lepore, New Yorker, 12 May 2026
Once the exploits run, attackers can use SSH access, web-shell execution, or container escapes, or compromise low-privilege accounts.
—Dan Goodin, ArsTechnica, 11 May 2026
Jesse Scott, Travel + Leisure, 16 May 2026
Even Rizo, who had lots of pyrotechnics and near escapes last season, is playing a much wiser game this time.
—Brian Moylan, Vulture, 14 May 2026
Assouline is one of my cultural escapes, Apple my tech core and Nespresso my morning ritual.
—Jenny B. Fine, Footwear News, 8 May 2026
Still, 36 men attempted 14 separate escapes from Alcatraz.
—ABC News, 5 May 2026
In 1855, for instance, there was a sharp spike in escapes to Philadelphia from Norfolk, Virginia, which lies at the very southern end of the Chesapeake Bay.
—Jeremy Mennis, The Conversation, 1 May 2026
Once synonymous with beach escapes and bottomless buffets, the all-inclusive resort is showing up in unexpected places—and Club Med is driving the change.
—Ashlea Halpern, Time, 30 Apr. 2026
Over 29 years, according to the Bureau of Prisons, 36 men attempted 14 separate escapes.
—Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 24 Apr. 2026
Visitors to the Old Idaho Penitentiary in Boise can explore a former prison with a history of escapes, crime and reported ghostly encounters.
—Nathan Diller, USA Today, 18 Apr. 2026
Verb
The house is basically painted all white everywhere but somehow escapes being bland.
—Clio Chang, Curbed, 17 May 2026
Coltrane escapes trouble at every turn in the finale episode.
—Skyler Trepel, PEOPLE, 16 May 2026
After Coltrane runs off and escapes and Isiah tends to his vengeance-seeking son Noah’s leg wound?
—Dominic Patten, Deadline, 15 May 2026
Fleeing a botched con and the threat of wartime violence, 29-year-old Ulises Linares escapes 1943 Mexico City for the small town of Puerco Ahogado in Veracruz.
—Paula L. Woods, Los Angeles Times, 12 May 2026
Lint that escapes the trap reduces efficiency and increases the risk of a vent fire if it’s left to build up over time.
—Lauren Jarvis-Gibson, Miami Herald, 12 May 2026
Great cities have great green spaces, serving as peaceful urban playgrounds and perfect escapes from the surrounding concrete jungle.
—Erika Ebsworth-Goold, Travel + Leisure, 12 May 2026
Yet no historian ever escapes that burden.
—Jill Lepore, New Yorker, 12 May 2026
Once the exploits run, attackers can use SSH access, web-shell execution, or container escapes, or compromise low-privilege accounts.
—Dan Goodin, ArsTechnica, 11 May 2026
Noun
For someone who has spent much of the last decade circling the globe for performances, press tours, and personal escapes, Cabello’s most vivid recent travel memories aren’t necessarily tied to buzzy capitals or luxury resorts.
—Jesse Scott, Travel + Leisure, 16 May 2026
Even Rizo, who had lots of pyrotechnics and near escapes last season, is playing a much wiser game this time.
—Brian Moylan, Vulture, 14 May 2026
Assouline is one of my cultural escapes, Apple my tech core and Nespresso my morning ritual.
—Jenny B. Fine, Footwear News, 8 May 2026
Still, 36 men attempted 14 separate escapes from Alcatraz.
—ABC News, 5 May 2026
In 1855, for instance, there was a sharp spike in escapes to Philadelphia from Norfolk, Virginia, which lies at the very southern end of the Chesapeake Bay.
—Jeremy Mennis, The Conversation, 1 May 2026
Once synonymous with beach escapes and bottomless buffets, the all-inclusive resort is showing up in unexpected places—and Club Med is driving the change.
—Ashlea Halpern, Time, 30 Apr. 2026
Over 29 years, according to the Bureau of Prisons, 36 men attempted 14 separate escapes.
—Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 24 Apr. 2026
Visitors to the Old Idaho Penitentiary in Boise can explore a former prison with a history of escapes, crime and reported ghostly encounters.
—Nathan Diller, USA Today, 18 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for escapes
Verb
-
So, Nawi flees on her wedding night.—
Georg Szalai,
HollywoodReporter,
4 May 2026
-
Searchlight is in development on Lottery, a Permut Presentations drama about a young man with Down syndrome who, after winning the lottery, flees his estranged mother and hits the road with a charming new friend who has ulterior motives of her own.—
Anthony D'Alessandro,
Deadline,
29 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
At one point, Griffin appears to lunge at Manetta, who evades him by ducking behind a column on the platform.—
Colin Mixson,
New York Daily News,
1 May 2026
-
Mr Cobra evades most classification from there, blending free jazz, musique concrète, ’00s pop, house, industrial techno, and air horns, interlaced with dialogue snipped from Korean folk operas and experimental films.—
Hattie Lindert,
Pitchfork,
17 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Gauff, playing in her second consecutive Italian Open final, appeared in control of the match in the first set, leading 4-2 with chances to go up by two breaks of serve.—
Matthew Futterman,
New York Times,
16 May 2026
-
Peaks, troughs, breaks, beginnings, and endings shape the quality of decisions.—
Gerald J. Leonard,
Forbes.com,
15 May 2026
Verb
-
Roughly a mile away as the crow flies is the site of what once was known as Mills College, which was a private, four-year liberal-arts college for women.—
Jay Caspian Kang,
New Yorker,
19 May 2026
-
One drone flies right above our heads.—
Nick Paton Walsh,
CNN Money,
18 May 2026
Verb
-
Too often, political coverage avoids difficult questions entirely or allows politicians to speak in vague generalities without scrutiny.—
Letters to the Editor,
Oc Register,
15 May 2026
-
This is fast to build, easy to demo and avoids the genuinely hard work of designing the conversation.—
Pete Hanlon,
Forbes.com,
15 May 2026
Noun
-
More Americans are hitting the road, boarding flights and taking cruises this Memorial Day, according to AAA.—
Kathleen Wong,
USA Today,
13 May 2026
-
SpaceX has flown all but five of those with NASA’s Space Launch System on the Artemis II mission, a Blue Origin New Glenn mission and three flights from United Launch Alliance making up the rest.—
Richard Tribou,
The Orlando Sentinel,
12 May 2026
Noun
-
Oklahoma City went 8-0 against LeBron James and the Lakers this season — and the defending champs are also 8-0 in these playoffs after back-to-back routs of Phoenix and Los Angeles.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
12 May 2026
-
High school football in La Jolla this week was a tale of two routs — one on the positive side and the other not so much.—
La Jolla Light,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
12 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
Nothing in the order prevents members of the public from helping reunite stray animals with owners or working with rescues when appropriate.—
Charlie De Mar,
CBS News,
12 May 2026
-
The rising cost of food and veterinary services, which can put even individual pet owners in difficult situations, creates an even bigger burden on sanctuaries and rescues caring for so many animals.—
Hannah Fry,
Los Angeles Times,
9 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Escapes.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/escapes. Accessed 19 May. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
