ESCHEW Synonyms: 54 Similar and Opposite Words

Q: 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

Q: 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

Q: 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

Q: 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

Q: 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

Q: 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

eschew

verb

e-ˈshü

Definition of eschew next

as in to avoid

to get or keep away from (as a responsibility) through cleverness or trickery the minister eschews involvement in local politics, since he doesn't want to diminish his moral authority in the community

Synonyms & Similar Words

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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

Examples of eschew in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Netanyahu had also been exploiting U.S. partisan politics in recent years, openly courting GOP favor and eschewing the usual Israeli policy of staying neutral in American politics. —

Tribune News Service, The Mercury News, 4 Oct. 2024 An effective diplomatic strategy for the region will reestablish deterrence not just by threatening and coercing others, but also by creating positive incentives that would eschew conflict. —

Mona Yacoubian, Foreign Affairs, 3 Oct. 2024 Pop pioneers How the devil’s interval went mainstream Even during the Baroque and Classical eras, as the Catholic Church’s influence over culture faded, composers continued to eschew the devil’s interval. —

Staff, Quartz, 25 Sep. 2024 The actor has always kept a low profile and eschewed the limelight. —

Andreas Wiseman, Deadline, 1 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for eschew

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'eschew.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.