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

Synonyms & Similar Words

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
The Thursday, June 12, rainfall dropped 7 inches, and residents climbed trees to escape rising water. —Charna Flam, People.com, 14 June 2025 That individual immediately fired a weapon at them, Evans said, and exchanged gunfire took place during which the suspect was able to escape on foot. —Rebekah Riess, CNN Money, 14 June 2025
Noun
But after finally capturing the escape route on film, the owner was stunned. —Liz O'Connell, MSNBC Newsweek, 10 June 2025 And when? The exact details surrounding the pet zebra's escape, including when, where and how the ordeal began, are not immediately clear. —Saman Shafiq, USA Today, 9 June 2025 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 family fled Colombia in 2002, leaving behind comfort and status.
    — Clara-Sophia Daly, Miami Herald, 7 June 2025
  • Hardin fled the North Central Unit in Calico Rock, Arkansas, through a secure entryway on May 25 wearing a fake law enforcement uniform.
    — Jorge L. Ortiz, USA Today, 7 June 2025
Definition of flee
Verb
  • If your privacy practices have been less than perfect in the past—and whose have not, given the vanishingly tiny odds of evading every form of digital data collection—additional information about you from over the years is likely available from hundreds of data brokers.
    — Andy Greenberg, Wired News, 16 June 2025
  • Hundreds of Iranian missiles rained down across Israel beginning Saturday night, some of them evading the country's sophisticated defense systems.
    — Rebecca Rosman, NPR, 15 June 2025
Definition of evade
Noun
  • The man landed in California via a commercial flight and made contact with his legal team while waiting in line to go through U.S. Customs and Border Protection, said Trina Realmuto of the National Immigration Litigation Alliance.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 7 June 2025
  • When Robinson eventually returned to the airport to board another flight, he was detained, the district attorney’s office said.
    — Kimberlee Speakman, People.com, 7 June 2025
Definition of flight
Noun
  • His father was a Genovese gangster murdered by the Colombo crime family in retaliation for committing two slayings — a story people told Pappa as a child — and his stepfather was locked up for drug and tax evasion charges.
    — John Annese, New York Daily News, 9 June 2025
  • Gold smuggling is on the rise, fueling concerns over laundering and evasion of international sanctions.
    — Antonio Maria Delgado, Miami Herald, 6 June 2025
Definition of evasion
Verb
  • In a slight twist on the usual, the chefs not only get to choose their own sous-chefs, but only those sous-chefs have been flown to Italy for the occasion.
    — Caroline Framke, Vulture, 13 June 2025
  • The plane that crashed on June 12 flew for the first time in 2013 and was delivered to Air India in January 2014, Flightradar24 said.
    — Greta Cross, USA Today, 13 June 2025
Definition of fly
Verb
  • Snow cowered in the back, avoiding eye contact when Kiersten tried reaching her hand out.
    — Liz O'Connell, MSNBC Newsweek, 6 June 2025
  • But the majority of Tributary buyers prefer a turnkey home, avoiding the time and effort required to build a custom residence.
    — Robb Report Studio, Robb Report, 6 June 2025
Definition of avoid
Noun
  • Their subsequent conversation during his break suggests lasting affection on both sides.
    — David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 9 June 2025
  • Anderson’s Asteroid City set the best PSA opening record in some time almost exactly two years ago in June of 2023 with a wide break on the same number of screens, expanding to $9 million in a less competitive market.
    — Jill Goldsmith, Deadline, 8 June 2025
Definition of break
Noun
  • Setup ease is on the menu too, thanks to autofocus and auto keystone correction, as well as resize for obstacle avoidance.
    — New Atlas, New Atlas, 5 June 2025
  • And the company’s thoughtful approach to Gen Alpha consumers — focusing on education and age-appropriate products rather than avoidance — is a measured response to this demographic reality.
    — Ritu Upadhyay, Footwear News, 2 June 2025
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 20 Jun. 2025.

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Nglish: Translation of escape for Spanish Speakers

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