Synonyms of shun

shun

verb

ˈshən 

as in to avoid

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

just a ruse to shun the debt collectors

Synonyms & Similar Words

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

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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

Synonym Chooser

How does the verb shun contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of shun are avoid, elude, escape, eschew, and evade. While all these words mean "to get away or keep away from something," shun often implies an avoiding as a matter of habitual practice or policy and may imply repugnance or abhorrence.

you have shunned your responsibilities

Where would avoid be a reasonable alternative to shun?

In some situations, the words avoid and shun are roughly equivalent. However, avoid stresses forethought and caution in keeping clear of danger or difficulty.

try to avoid past errors

When can elude be used instead of shun?

While the synonyms elude and shun are close in meaning, elude implies a slippery or baffling quality in the person or thing that escapes.

what she sees in him eludes me

When is escape a more appropriate choice than shun?

The synonyms escape and shun are sometimes interchangeable, but 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 might eschew be a better fit than shun?

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

a playwright who eschews melodrama

In what contexts can evade take the place of shun?

Although the words evade and shun have much in common, evade implies adroitness, ingenuity, or lack of scruple in escaping or avoiding.

evaded the question by changing the subject

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of shun

While in prison, Shah became besties with Theranos founder Elizabeth Holmes while shunning Ghislaine Maxwell. — Bethy Squires, Vulture, 21 Aug. 2026

Alamy Most Popular Long said to bring ruin on the male rulers who owned it, the Koh-i-Noor has also been shunned by female royals in recent decades. — Hadley Hall Meares, Vanity Fair, 17 Aug. 2026

There’s striker Josie Gordon, bickering twin sisters Siobhan and Niamh, glove-shunning goalie Katie ‘Boots’ Quinn and couple Maddie and Margy. — Hannah Abraham, Forbes.com, 12 Aug. 2026

Andrew Caballero-Reynolds | AFP | Getty Images Lettuce prices cratered in July as the multistate cyclospora outbreak pushed diners to shun the leafy green. — Alex Harring, CNBC, 12 Aug. 2026