Synonyms of evade

evade

verb

i-ˈvād 

as in to avoid

to get or keep away from (as a responsibility) through cleverness or trickery

people who use every loophole in the law to evade paying taxes

Synonyms & Similar Words

• avoid
• escape
• elude
• dodge
• shun
• eschew
• prevent
• deflect
• shake
• eliminate
• scape
• steer clear of
• keep clear of
• shirk
• shuffle (out of)
• circumvent
• finesse
• duck
• fight shy of
• thwart
• get around
• obviate
• stay clear of
• preclude
• avert
• exclude
• weasel (out of)
• miss
• parry
• divert
• ward (off)
• rule out
• outwit
• debar
• bypass
• ban
• frustrate
• outsmart
• except
• foil
• outfox
• bar
• fox
• overreach
• skirt

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• seek
• accept
• pursue
• embrace
• welcome
• catch
• incur
• court
• contract

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

Recent Examples of evade

The new legislation targets Russian officials, financial institutions and the network of tankers used to move Russian oil while evading sanctions. — Samya Kullab, Los Angeles Times, 18 Sep. 2026

In the very near future, bad actors may be able to use AI to engineer viruses at home that are intentionally designed to evade human immunity and existing countermeasures. — Stephanie Psaki, Foreign Affairs, 18 Sep. 2026

What really makes this all work is the introduction of Bryan as embodied by the sensational Abrams, who first blew me away evading George Clooney and Brad Pitt in Wolfs and then his scene-stealing work as the unhoused guy in Weapons. — Pete Hammond, Deadline, 16 Sep. 2026

Neither Washington nor Beijing benefits from losing control of systems capable of autonomous replication, accelerating the development of their own successors, evading oversight, or enabling catastrophic biological or cyber harm. — Shlomit Wagman, Fortune, 15 Sep. 2026