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
Jill Lepore, New Yorker, 12 May 2026
The dress—a projection of collective hallucination—escapes, whereas a girl is left to die; the one girl who preferred poetry to dresses.
—Literary Hub, 11 May 2026
Jason Patric, then only 23, stars as Kevin Collins, known as Collie, a former boxer who escapes from a mental institution and is now just drifting.
—Los Angeles Times, 8 May 2026
The moving drama revolves on a young boy, the film’s titular character, who escapes the bombing of his southern Iranian village in which his family is killed.
—Nick Vivarelli, Variety, 1 May 2026
The Chase, which also starred Marlon Brando, saw Redford play Bubber, who escapes from prison, and Fonda play his wife.
—Victoria Edel, PEOPLE, 1 May 2026
This network was highly efficient in passing on Underground Railroad communications and coordinating escapes within the coastal and bay regions to the south.
—Jeremy Mennis, The Conversation, 1 May 2026
Minnesota escapes the first round for the first time in over a decade.
—Chris Branch, New York Times, 1 May 2026
Shyanne and Kenny have the first two things going for them — their wedding is certainly small and intimate — but the third escapes them.
—Erin Qualey, Vulture, 29 Apr. 2026
Jenny B. Fine, Footwear News, 8 May 2026
Trails in nearby Montreat provide quick escapes into the mountains, while the legacy of the now-defunct Black Mountain College continues to shape the town’s deeply rooted arts culture today.
—Kristy Tolley, Travel + Leisure, 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
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
There is a genre-bending western; two stories blend speculative details with realism to portray women planning their escapes; three stories spec-ify the only-daughter experience; and one story flirts with where to begin.
—Literary Hub, 14 Apr. 2026
Here are six ingenious escapes throughout history.
—Encyclopedia Britannica, 2 Apr. 2026
Verb
Yet no historian ever escapes that burden.
—Jill Lepore, New Yorker, 12 May 2026
The dress—a projection of collective hallucination—escapes, whereas a girl is left to die; the one girl who preferred poetry to dresses.
—Literary Hub, 11 May 2026
Jason Patric, then only 23, stars as Kevin Collins, known as Collie, a former boxer who escapes from a mental institution and is now just drifting.
—Los Angeles Times, 8 May 2026
The moving drama revolves on a young boy, the film’s titular character, who escapes the bombing of his southern Iranian village in which his family is killed.
—Nick Vivarelli, Variety, 1 May 2026
The Chase, which also starred Marlon Brando, saw Redford play Bubber, who escapes from prison, and Fonda play his wife.
—Victoria Edel, PEOPLE, 1 May 2026
This network was highly efficient in passing on Underground Railroad communications and coordinating escapes within the coastal and bay regions to the south.
—Jeremy Mennis, The Conversation, 1 May 2026
Minnesota escapes the first round for the first time in over a decade.
—Chris Branch, New York Times, 1 May 2026
Shyanne and Kenny have the first two things going for them — their wedding is certainly small and intimate — but the third escapes them.
—Erin Qualey, Vulture, 29 Apr. 2026
Noun
Assouline is one of my cultural escapes, Apple my tech core and Nespresso my morning ritual.
—Jenny B. Fine, Footwear News, 8 May 2026
Trails in nearby Montreat provide quick escapes into the mountains, while the legacy of the now-defunct Black Mountain College continues to shape the town’s deeply rooted arts culture today.
—Kristy Tolley, Travel + Leisure, 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
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
There is a genre-bending western; two stories blend speculative details with realism to portray women planning their escapes; three stories spec-ify the only-daughter experience; and one story flirts with where to begin.
—Literary Hub, 14 Apr. 2026
Here are six ingenious escapes throughout history.
—Encyclopedia Britannica, 2 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
-
His exit comes despite MNUFC having two more games before the entire MLS breaks for the World Cup.—
Andy Greder,
Twin Cities,
9 May 2026
-
Your bank learns those patterns, and travel breaks all of them at once.—
Andreina Rodriguez,
CNBC,
8 May 2026
Verb
-
The drone flies to your home, usually in about four and a half minutes.—
Kurt Knutsson,
FOXNews.com,
10 May 2026
-
The route makes 18 nonstop flights that Alaska will operate in Boise, well ahead of Southwest Airlines, which flies to 10 cities nonstop.—
Kevin Fixler
May 8,
Idaho Statesman,
8 May 2026
Verb
-
Drivers may also experience smoother brake operation because the system avoids the harsh pedal pulsing commonly associated with older anti-lock braking systems.—
Sujita Sinha,
Interesting Engineering,
7 May 2026
-
Impressively, 94% of the property’s waste avoids landfill— miraculous for a hotel of this size—with it either being recycled, donated, or made use of in the hotel grounds.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
6 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
-
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
-
Holly Mazur is the founder and president of Lew Dog Gives, a nonprofit dedicated to supporting animal rescues, sanctuaries and shelters.—
Sara B. Hansen,
Denver Post,
9 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Escapes.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/escapes. Accessed 15 May. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
