shun

verb

ˈshən 

shunned; shunning

transitive verb

: to avoid deliberately and especially habitually

shuns publicity

shunner noun

Synonyms

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

Choose the Right Synonym for shun

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 shun in a Sentence

He shuns parties and social events.

After his divorce he found himself being shunned by many of his former friends.

Recent Examples on the Web

Without fear of the slightest sanction, vessel operators have shunned high-cost U.S.-flagged ships for years. —Craig Hooper, Forbes, 17 Jan. 2025

The outgoing president will attend the swearing in ceremony that Trump shunned four years ago. —Ted Johnson, Deadline, 15 Jan. 2025

That allowed Le Pen to further his political ambitions and agenda despite being shunned by traditional parties. —Elizabeth Pineau and Marine Strauss, USA TODAY, 8 Jan. 2025

The drama between the big men resurfaced following Howard’s appearance on Ray Daniels’ The Gaud Show podcast, with the former NBA Defensive Player of the Year speaking on feeling shunned by O’Neal upon entering the league. —Preezy Brown, VIBE.com, 7 Jan. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Middle English shonen, shunnen, from Old English scunian

First Known Use

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

shun

verb

ˈshən 

shunned; shunning

: to avoid purposely or by habit

shunned her former friends

shunner noun