eschew

Synonym Chooser

How does the verb eschew contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of eschew are avoid, elude, escape, evade, and shun. While all these words mean "to get away or keep away from something," eschew implies an avoiding or abstaining from as unwise or distasteful.

a playwright who eschews melodrama

Where would avoid be a reasonable alternative to eschew?

The meanings of avoid and eschew largely overlap; however, avoid stresses forethought and caution in keeping clear of danger or difficulty.

try to avoid past errors

When is elude a more appropriate choice than eschew?

The words elude and eschew are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, elude implies a slippery or baffling quality in the person or thing that escapes.

what she sees in him eludes me

When could escape be used to replace eschew?

While the synonyms escape and eschew are close in meaning, escape stresses the fact of getting away or being passed by not necessarily through effort or by conscious intent.

nothing escapes her sharp eyes

When is it sensible to use evade instead of eschew?

The words evade and eschew can be used in similar contexts, but evade implies adroitness, ingenuity, or lack of scruple in escaping or avoiding.

evaded the question by changing the subject

When would shun be a good substitute for eschew?

Although the words shun and eschew have much in common, shun often implies an avoiding as a matter of habitual practice or policy and may imply repugnance or abhorrence.

you have shunned your responsibilities

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of eschew Still, the original series’ release pattern eschewed chronological order. Jason P. Frank, Vulture, 6 Mar. 2025 Dean largely eschewed the spotlight, choosing to maintain his privacy in spite of his wife’s A-list fame. Rachel Desantis, People.com, 4 Mar. 2025 His interview circuit during the campaign — eschewing mainstream outlets for popular podcasters like Joe Rogan and Theo Von — drew millions of views and listens, further cementing the strategy as a key component of his campaign's outreach. David Faris, Newsweek, 26 Feb. 2025 The model eschews equal sharing of TV revenue by member schools to allocate 60% of it based on viewership of a school’s football and men’s basketball games. Michael McCann, Sportico.com, 4 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for eschew
Recent Examples of Synonyms for eschew
Verb
  • Our Trust and Safety Resource Center offers additional guidance on recognizing and avoiding phishing attempts.
    Davey Winder, Forbes, 14 Mar. 2025
  • Now the two sides are scrambling to resolve the funding gap and save the project to avoid returning more than $24.6 million in state dollars received through the California Department of Housing and Community Development’s Homekey program.
    Jake Goodrick, Sacramento Bee, 14 Mar. 2025
Verb
  • Van Lith has competed in four conference title games over the span of her career, but this was the first time the title didn’t evade her.
    Allison Smith, Forbes, 9 Mar. 2025
  • Perez was arrested and transported to Troop G where he was charged with evading responsibility, reckless driving, operating a motor vehicle without a license and reckless use of highway by a pedestrian.
    Staff report, Hartford Courant, 6 Mar. 2025
Verb
  • Duterte withdrew the Philippines in 2019 from the Rome Statute, the court’s founding treaty, in a move human rights activists say was aimed at escaping accountability.
    Jim Gomez, Los Angeles Times, 11 Mar. 2025
  • Without cellphone service, and fearing that his driver might have a weapon, the then 32-year-old Ugandan felt powerless to escape.
    Amy Gunia, CNN, 10 Mar. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Eschew.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/eschew. Accessed 24 Mar. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on eschew

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