Synonym Chooser

How does the verb evade contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of evade are avoid, elude, escape, eschew, and shun. While all these words mean "to get away or keep away from something," evade implies adroitness, ingenuity, or lack of scruple in escaping or avoiding.

evaded the question by changing the subject

When would avoid be a good substitute for evade?

While the synonyms avoid and evade are close in meaning, 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 evade?

In some situations, the words elude and evade are roughly equivalent. However, elude implies a slippery or baffling quality in the person or thing that escapes.

what she sees in him eludes me

In what contexts can escape take the place of evade?

The meanings of escape and evade largely overlap; however, 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 eschew be used to replace evade?

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

a playwright who eschews melodrama

When can shun be used instead of evade?

The words shun and evade are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, 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 evade By operating below the OS, attackers can evade endpoint protection, logging, and most traditional security tools. ArsTechnica, 26 June 2025 While Hollywood was doing its best to evade or outright ignore the mostly wishy-washy efforts of the MPPDA to regulate throughout the 1920s, a figure was rising in the Midwest who would change all that. Literary Hub, 24 June 2025 Still, some have evaded Israel's defenses, including the missile that struck a hospital in southern Israel on Thursday. Cybele Mayes-Osterman, USA Today, 21 June 2025 Huerta has repeatedly evaded capture over the years, according to Mexican news reports, and has been the subject of numerous narco banners hung throughout the region. Alexandra Mendoza, Mercury News, 18 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for evade
Recent Examples of Synonyms for evade
Verb
  • Giving up athletics had an impact on her body and changes were required to avoid injury.
    Michael Cox, New York Times, 30 June 2025
  • Each week spent on development and every disaster avoided adds to the company’s financial, reputational and customer support success.
    Sai Sandeep Ogety, Forbes.com, 30 June 2025
Verb
  • Police on Friday captured one of the New Orleans parish inmates who escaped six weeks ago in a jailbreak Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry called the worst in recent state history.
    CBS News, CBS News, 27 June 2025
  • There is nothing inherently better about Rowling’s magic that would lead its users to escape the loss of a personal sense of accomplishment—or knowledge, skills, or tactility—and as the novels show, the threat of overuse looms as greatly over their existence as our own.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 26 June 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Evade.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/evade. Accessed 4 Jul. 2025.

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