escape stresses the fact of getting away or being passed by not necessarily through effort or by conscious intent.
nothing escapes her sharp eyes
avoid stresses forethought and caution in keeping clear of danger or difficulty.
try to avoid past errors
evade implies adroitness, ingenuity, or lack of scruple in escaping or avoiding.
evaded the question by changing the subject
elude implies a slippery or baffling quality in the person or thing that escapes.
what she sees in him eludes me
shun often implies an avoiding as a matter of habitual practice or policy and may imply repugnance or abhorrence.
you have shunned your responsibilities
eschew implies an avoiding or abstaining from as unwise or distasteful.
a playwright who eschews melodrama
Example Sentences
The criminals have so far managed to evade the police. a politician skilled at evading difficult questions The governor has been accused of evading the issue.
Recent Examples on the WebThe latest variants are able to evade protection offered by vaccination, but the combination of vaccines and booster shots still lower the risk of hospitalization and death. Darlene Superville, Chicago Tribune, 27 July 2022 Julie Washington reports the subvariants are also able to evade immunity based on prior infection. Mike Rose, cleveland, 21 July 2022 The risk of reinfections has increased because newly emergent subvariants are better able to evade the front line defense of the immune system, and there is essentially no effort at the community level to limit transmission. Joel Achenbach, BostonGlobe.com, 10 July 2022 The risk of reinfections has increased because newly emergent subvariants are better able to evade the front line defense of the immune system, and there is essentially no effort at the community level to limit transmission. Joel Achenbach, Anchorage Daily News, 10 July 2022 Experts say stealth fighters able to evade Pyongyang's radars would be vital in any action against North Korea. Brad Lendon And Gawon Bae, CNN, 6 July 2022 Trump expressed some surprise that Giuliani was able to evade the flying lunch. Andy Borowitz, The New Yorker, 28 June 2022 The researchers did find SNPs that could have made the monkeypox 2022 virus better able to evade your immune response, which obviously is not a great thing. Bruce Y. Lee, Forbes, 25 June 2022 The suspect was picked up by a black SUV that was able to evade police, the report says. Cydney Henderson, USA TODAY, 22 June 2022 See More
Word History
Etymology
Middle French & Latin; Middle French evader, from Latin evadere, from e- + vadere to go, walk — more at wade