elude

verb

ē-ˈlüd 

eluded; eluding

transitive verb

1

: to avoid adroitly : evade

the mice eluded the traps

managed to elude capture

2

: to escape the perception, understanding, or grasp of

subtlety simply eludes them

victory continued to elude us

3

: defy sense 2

it eludes explanation

Synonyms

• avoid
• dodge
• duck
• escape
• eschew
• evade
• finesse
• get around
• scape
• shake
• shirk
• shuffle (out of)
• shun
• weasel (out of)

Choose the Right Synonym for elude

escape, avoid, evade, elude, shun, eschew mean to get away or keep away from something.

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

Examples of elude in a Sentence

The killer was able to elude the police.

The killer has eluded capture.

The cause of the disease continues to elude researchers.

Recent Examples on the Web

Miraculously, solutions that elude me behind a desk become crystal clear while cruising down the street avoiding eye contact with snickering neighbors.... Unlike jogging, which had become just another discipline to maintain, rollerblading has rekindled a sense of childlike wonder. —Curt Steinhorst, Forbes, 22 Oct. 2024

Sexism was not part of the culture when this prolific serial killer managed to elude authorities for close to a dozen years. —David Fear, Rolling Stone, 18 Oct. 2024

Unmanned aerial systems are killing and maiming scores of people across the world, eluding even the most sophisticated air defenses. —Colin Demarest, Axios, 30 Sep. 2024

The twins, who are 46 now and live in the nearby town of Farmington, initially believed that the man arrested in 1989 and released before trial had killed their father and eluded prosecution. —Faith Karimi, CNN, 15 Sep. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Latin eludere, from e- + ludere to play — more at ludicrous

First Known Use

1667, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing elude

• elude someone's grasp

Kids Definition

elude

verb

ē-ˈlüd 

eluded; eluding

1

: to avoid or escape by being quick, skillful, or tricky

2

: to escape the understanding or grasp of

the explanation eludes me