as in to evade
to get or keep away from (as a responsibility) through cleverness or trickery
the millionaire had been eluding his fair share of taxes for years before getting caught
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Recent Examples of elude
So when somebody reported an eight-foot floater near Herring Creek one day in 2007, the then-Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) graduate student didn’t hesitate to hop in a boat and start scanning the river’s surface for the fish that had long eluded him.
—
Benjamin Cassidy, Smithsonian Magazine, 29 May 2025
In the meantime, however, more of Freeman’s focus has been on building off his mechanical rediscovery; trying to maintain feel for a swing that had eluded him for so long.
—Jack Harris, Los Angeles Times, 12 May 2025
The driver, a Denver resident, was arrested on suspicion of motor vehicle theft, eluding and reckless driving, according to the sheriff’s office.
—Lauren Penington, Denver Post, 8 May 2025
With admirable ambition, the sides sought to bridge major geopolitical disputes—the question of NATO enlargement, Ukraine’s role in European security, U.S. security commitments in the post-Soviet space, and so on—that had eluded diplomatic compromise for decades.
—Samuel Charap, Foreign Affairs, 8 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for elude
Benjamin Cassidy, Smithsonian Magazine, 29 May 2025
In the meantime, however, more of Freeman’s focus has been on building off his mechanical rediscovery; trying to maintain feel for a swing that had eluded him for so long.
—Jack Harris, Los Angeles Times, 12 May 2025
The driver, a Denver resident, was arrested on suspicion of motor vehicle theft, eluding and reckless driving, according to the sheriff’s office.
—Lauren Penington, Denver Post, 8 May 2025
With admirable ambition, the sides sought to bridge major geopolitical disputes—the question of NATO enlargement, Ukraine’s role in European security, U.S. security commitments in the post-Soviet space, and so on—that had eluded diplomatic compromise for decades.
—Samuel Charap, Foreign Affairs, 8 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for elude
Recent Examples of Synonyms for elude
Verb
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The last few months have borne witness to AI systems learning to mislead, cheat, and try to evade shutdown—even resorting to blackmail.—
Harry Booth,
Time,
3 June 2025
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Massey has evaded hundreds of authorities in a multistate manhunt.—
Holly Yan,
CNN Money,
3 June 2025
Verb
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Snow cowered in the back, avoiding eye contact when Kiersten tried reaching her hand out.—
Liz O'Connell,
MSNBC Newsweek,
6 June 2025
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While most infections occur during recreational freshwater activities, people trying to clean their sinuses are advised to use distilled, sterilized or boiled — and then cooled — water to avoid infection or illness.—
David Matthews,
New York Daily News,
6 June 2025
Verb
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The main thing to avoid is a wide-mouthed glass, which lets aromas escape too quickly.—
Emily Price,
Forbes.com,
3 June 2025
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On Monday, Tomaszewski learned one of his neighbors found a white Nike shoe in between the home where the shooting occurred and the yard people escaped through.—
Jeff A. Chamer,
Charlotte Observer,
3 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Elude.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/elude. Accessed 10 Jun. 2025.
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