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
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
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.
The type of success that makes roster building challenging but the type of success that has long eluded the Bears. Kevin Fishbain, New York Times, 27 Apr. 2025 And 2026 will likely prove to be the last opportunity for Cristiano Ronaldo to get his hands on the only major trophy that has eluded him. Callum Sutherland, Time, 25 Apr. 2025 By identifying anomalies and patterns that might elude human scrutiny, these systems can reduce losses while building confidence among users who are new to formal banking. Abhishek Gandotra, Forbes.com, 17 Apr. 2025 The Northern Irishman kept on winning during that time, but the major trophies continued to elude him. Jacob Lev, CNN Money, 13 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for elude

Word History

Etymology

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

First Known Use

1667, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of elude was in 1667

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Elude.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/elude. Accessed 2 May. 2025.

Kids Definition

elude

verb
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

More from Merriam-Webster on elude

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