as in avoids
to get or keep away from (as a responsibility) through cleverness or trickery
just a ruse to shun the debt collectors
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Recent Examples of shuns
Mitski lies on the lawn looking at the girl leaving her, like the witch in Into the Woods when Rapunzel shuns her and then gets promptly trampled by a giant.
—
Jason P. Frank, Vulture, 16 Jan. 2026
The unfortunate truth is that the agency has lost its way and shuns innovation.
—Ross Marchand, Baltimore Sun, 14 Jan. 2026
Vanya is a closeted gay man who shuns intimacy and Sonia is a neurotic spinster who feels unnoticed and unloved.
—Pam Kragen, San Diego Union-Tribune, 13 Oct. 2025
Laugh is the kind of rap mastery that shuns maximalism for pristine, unadorned poetics.
—Andre Gee, Rolling Stone, 29 Aug. 2025
Instead of a tale of entrapment or escape, Ruth is a story about how a woman full of longing can operate inside a collective that shuns the very notion of wanting.
—Hillary Kelly, The Atlantic, 20 Aug. 2025
Jason P. Frank, Vulture, 16 Jan. 2026
The unfortunate truth is that the agency has lost its way and shuns innovation.
—Ross Marchand, Baltimore Sun, 14 Jan. 2026
Vanya is a closeted gay man who shuns intimacy and Sonia is a neurotic spinster who feels unnoticed and unloved.
—Pam Kragen, San Diego Union-Tribune, 13 Oct. 2025
Laugh is the kind of rap mastery that shuns maximalism for pristine, unadorned poetics.
—Andre Gee, Rolling Stone, 29 Aug. 2025
Instead of a tale of entrapment or escape, Ruth is a story about how a woman full of longing can operate inside a collective that shuns the very notion of wanting.
—Hillary Kelly, The Atlantic, 20 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for shuns
Verb
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The design here avoids ski-lodge clichés but maintains splendid common areas, including a cozy library and a grand lobby decorated with stone and wood finishes and splashes of rich red and orange hues.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
21 Mar. 2026
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Furthermore, the robot avoids the inevitable performance decay seen in technologies such as solar panels or nuclear generators, ensuring a longer operational lifespan in the field.—
Mrigakshi Dixit,
Interesting Engineering,
20 Mar. 2026
Verb
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But how does one set out to write a biography about the creation of an author who not only can’t be reached, but actively evades the spotlight?—
Costa Beavin Pappas,
Los Angeles Times,
2 Mar. 2026
-
The result is contrasting, suited for a composition that evades singular meaning.—
Conçetta Ciarlo,
Vogue,
27 Feb. 2026
Verb
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These luxury Appalachian escapes pair low-impact lighting, stargazing, and mountain activities like horseback riding and hiking.—
Megan Eaves,
Outside,
16 Mar. 2026
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From luxury and adults-only escapes to ships packed with onboard adventures and kids’ clubs, there’s truly a cruise—and a cruise line—for everyone.—
Southern Living Editors,
Southern Living,
12 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Shuns.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/shuns. Accessed 21 Mar. 2026.
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