escape 1 of 2

verb

i-ˈskāp How to pronounce escape (audio)
Definition of escapenext
1
as in to flee
to get free from a dangerous or confining situation everyone managed to escape from the burning building in time

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to evade
to get or keep away from (as a responsibility) through cleverness or trickery a judge who is very determined not to let criminals escape punishment

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

escape

2 of 2

noun

1
as in flight
the act or an instance of getting free from danger or confinement a daring prison escape

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in evasion
the act or a means of getting or keeping away from something undesirable the reading of science fiction novels as an escape from boring reality

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

How does the verb escape contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of escape are avoid, elude, eschew, evade, and shun. While all these words 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

When could avoid be used to replace escape?

The words avoid and escape can be used in similar contexts, but avoid stresses forethought and caution in keeping clear of danger or difficulty.

try to avoid past errors

When is it sensible to use elude instead of escape?

The words elude and escape 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 is eschew a more appropriate choice than escape?

While in some cases nearly identical to escape, eschew implies an avoiding or abstaining from as unwise or distasteful.

a playwright who eschews melodrama

When can evade be used instead of escape?

In some situations, the words evade and escape are roughly equivalent. However, 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 escape?

The meanings of shun and escape largely overlap; however, 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 escape
Verb
Toward the end of the first, Clarke escaped a congested faceoff at the right circle for an open lane to the net. —Tom Mulherin, Boston Herald, 8 Feb. 2026 When the Magic traveled to Utah in late-December, Orlando needed a game-winning layup from Desmond Bane in the final moments of overtime to escape with a one-point win at Delta Center. —Jason Beede, The Orlando Sentinel, 8 Feb. 2026
Noun
But how does one go from being a classic Italian mountain escape to an international destination? —Maddalena Fossati, Condé Nast Traveler, 6 Feb. 2026 But the composer Huang Ruo knows that this slowness can also offer opportunity for pause, reflection, and escape. —Brian Seibert, New Yorker, 6 Feb. 2026 See All Example Sentences for escape
Recent Examples of Synonyms for escape
  1. flee
  2. evade
  3. flight
  4. evasion
  5. fly
  6. avoid
  7. break
  8. avoidance
Verb
  • The president flees these tradeoffs as a matter of course and flip-flops unpredictably when pressures rise.
    — Edward Lotterman, Twin Cities, 8 Feb. 2026
  • During one game, Graham felt the pass rush and fled the pocket; Brown had ordered him to stay in it, no matter what.
    — CBS News, CBS News, 8 Feb. 2026
Definition of flee
Verb
  • Somehow their petition—miraculously evading Confederate interception and traveling, via the Bahamas, to Washington—arrived on the Navy secretary’s desk, though they likely weren’t released until the end of the war.
    — Drew Gilpin Faust, The Atlantic, 8 Feb. 2026
  • Edwards, who trains such police departments as the New York Police Department on drone threat mitigation, points to fiber-optic drones that can evade radio frequency detection systems as a particular concern.
    — Anna Schecter, CBS News, 7 Feb. 2026
Definition of evade
Noun
  • The airline typically doubles cargo capacity for the holiday, adding nearly 300 flights this season.
    — Alexandra Skores, CNN Money, 12 Feb. 2026
  • The restrictions have been lifted and normal flights are resuming.
    — Sujita Sinha, Interesting Engineering, 12 Feb. 2026
Definition of flight
Noun
  • In addition to fiscal challenges, the district has been grappling with the indictment of former superintendent Devon Horton, who is facing federal charges, along with three of his associates, for wire fraud, embezzlement and tax evasion.
    — Alexandra Murphy, Chicago Tribune, 9 Feb. 2026
  • In 2022, Carew was sentenced to 14 months in prison after pleading guilty to charges of tax evasion in Norway.
    — Greg O'Keeffe, New York Times, 8 Feb. 2026
Definition of evasion
Verb
  • Carney ordered government buildings to fly flags at half-mast for the next week.
    — Claire Carter, The Washington Examiner, 12 Feb. 2026
  • Two airline sources said that airlines were given the impression that the closure was done out of an abundance of caution due to the FAA's inability to predict where drones might be flying.
    — Brian Dakss, CBS News, 11 Feb. 2026
Definition of fly
Verb
  • In Texas, wind, solar and storage provided about 25% of power for the grid's 27 million customers -- a major increase over 2021 and a key reason blackouts were largely avoided, said John Hensley, a senior vice president at the American Clean Power Association, an industry group.
    — MATTHEW DALY, Arkansas Online, 8 Feb. 2026
  • Healey avoided answering the question, instead stating that Massachusetts officials tipped off the feds to the $7 million SNAP fraud scheme uncovered by Foley’s office in December.
    — Tim Dunn, Boston Herald, 7 Feb. 2026
Definition of avoid
Noun
  • With a loss Wednesday night to the New Orleans Pelicans and the middling middle ground will prove all too real, with the Heat entering that game at 28-27, with an eight-day All-Star break to follow.
    — Ira Winderman, Sun Sentinel, 10 Feb. 2026
  • Milwaukee had made 40% of their 3-point attempts before the break and held the Magic to just 19% from distance.
    — Jason Beede, The Orlando Sentinel, 10 Feb. 2026
Definition of break
Noun
  • Monitoring and documentation requirements of releases are merely recommended, and avoidance and minimization of adverse impacts to animals, plants and the public are left up to the industry.
    — Chicago Tribune, Chicago Tribune, 8 Feb. 2026
  • These physiological responses are now part of a wider conversation about rising instances of school avoidance among neurodiverse adolescents.
    — Lyssanoel Frater, USA Today, 7 Feb. 2026
Definition of avoidance

Phrases Containing escape

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escapades
escape
escaped
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Cite this Entry

“Escape.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/escape. Accessed 14 Feb. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on escape

Nglish: Translation of escape for Spanish Speakers

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