eschew

verb

es·​chew e-ˈshü 

i-;

es-ˈchü 

is-;

 also  e-ˈskyü

eschewed; eschewing; eschews

transitive verb

: to avoid habitually especially on moral or practical grounds : shun

eschewal

e-ˈshü-əl 

i-;

es-ˈchü-

is-;

 also  e-ˈskyü-

noun

Did you know?

Eschew derives from the Anglo-French verb eschiver and is akin to the Old High German verb sciuhen ("to frighten off"), an ancestor of our word shy. In his famous dictionary of 1755 Dr. Samuel Johnson characterized "eschew" as "almost obsolete." History has proven that the great lexicographer was wrong on that call, however. William Thackeray found "eschew" alive enough to use it almost one hundred years later in his classic novel Vanity Fair: "He has already eschewed green coats, red neckcloths, and other worldly ornaments." The word swelled in usage in English during the 19th and 20th centuries and is now common enough to be included even in small paperback dictionaries.

Synonyms

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

Choose the Right Synonym for eschew

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 eschew in a Sentence

Though a doctor with psychiatric training, he eschewed the science that had so enamored earlier child-rearing professionals … —Sue Halpern, New York Review of Books, 29 May 2003

A fair number of academics eschew the simple title "professor" and call themselves economists, astronomers, historians, philosophers. —Tracy Kidder, Home Town, 1999

When introduced to a stranger, he eschewed formalities, stuck out a gnarled right hand and responded with a chummy, "Hermann." —Tim Layden, Sports Illustrated, 2 Feb. 1998

They now eschew the violence of their past.

a psychologist who eschews the traditional methods of psychotherapy

Recent Examples on the Web

Lichtman eschews the more defensible probabilistic forecasts like the ones from Nate Silver and other number crunchers. —Joseph Thorndike, Forbes, 4 Nov. 2024

For years, Amazon eschewed profits in the name of building trust and market share, and ensuring that it was well-placed to fill the hole in the market that Bezos had identified at the outset. —The Editors, National Review, 31 Oct. 2024

In Her Words eschews the type of talking-head interviews that fill many other documentaries. —Andrew R. Chow, TIME, 31 Oct. 2024

But the kinder telling eschews some of the original’s inherent grit to delve deeper into the minds of its characters, struggling in key moments to convey a sense of motion. —Craig Jenkins, Vulture, 22 Oct. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Anglo-French eschiver (3rd present eschiu) of Germanic origin; akin to Old High German sciuhen to frighten off — more at shy

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

eschew

verb

es·​chew is-ˈchü 

: shun, avoid