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

Relevance

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
Sheehan eventually escaped the third inning, and the Dodgers tied the score in the bottom of the inning. —Bill Plunkett, Oc Register, 20 July 2025 This novel was inspired by the life of G.W. Pabst, a film director who left his homeland of Austria to escape the Nazis. —Carly Tagen-Dye, People.com, 19 July 2025
Noun
Enterprise's data suggests Americans — in addition to saving money and avoiding air travel — are interested in culinary and cultural escapes. —Christopher Elliott, Forbes.com, 20 July 2025 Estrada’s escape was facilitated by Fernando Tatis Jr. catching a line drive by Brady House and throwing to third base to get Josh Bell, who had tried to tag up. —Kevin Acee, San Diego Union-Tribune, 19 July 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
  • Villagers flee their homes near the Thai border in Cambodia's Oddar Meanchey province on July 25, 2025.
    — Shane Croucher John Feng, MSNBC Newsweek, 25 July 2025
  • Yang’s deportation to Laos – a country her parents were forced to flee following US military intervention – underscores the sweeping and aggressive tactics Trump’s White House is using to expel immigrants.
    — Lex Harvey, CNN Money, 25 July 2025
Definition of flee
Verb
  • Cromartie also took a plea deal for charges including strangulation, third degree assault of a police officer, first degree wanton endangerment, disarming a peace officer, fleeing or evading police, resisting arrest and violation of a foreign protective order, according to court records.
    — Killian Baarlaer, The Courier-Journal, 18 July 2025
  • Of late, Netanyahu has attempted to fudge the issue by pushing through legislation that would create a technical process for drafting the ultra-Orthodox but in practice make the new requirements easy to evade.
    — Yair Rosenberg, The Atlantic, 17 July 2025
Definition of evade
Noun
  • Online sleuths who closely track SpaceX's activities at Starbase, Texas, have concluded the rocket recovered from the Gulf is Booster 13, which flew on the sixth test flight of the Starship mega-rocket last November.
    — Stephen Clark, ArsTechnica, 25 July 2025
  • As there was no doctor on board, the Air India flight crew created space for the woman to deliver her baby at around 35,000 feet with the assistance of a nurse passenger, The Hindustan Times reported.
    — Gabrielle Rockson, People.com, 25 July 2025
Definition of flight
Noun
  • Their robust negations appeared to put both them and their American hosts on the right side of history, compared with writers in the unfree world of authoritarian regimes, who seemed to have been permanently tainted by lies, equivocations, and evasions.
    — Pankaj Mishra, Harpers Magazine, 16 July 2025
  • Alcantara has two other arrests for weapons possession and fare evasion, cops said.
    — Thomas Tracy, New York Daily News, 15 July 2025
Definition of evasion
Verb
  • The scene concludes with a lot of digital images flying up on the screen and some positively insane synthesizer music from composer Ennio Morricone.
    — Jordan Hoffman, EW.com, 19 July 2025
  • The group was exchanged for more than 250 Venezuelans deported from the U.S. and flown in March to El Salvador's high-security prison.
    — Brendan Cole, MSNBC Newsweek, 19 July 2025
Definition of fly
Verb
  • Close the blinds and curtains on sun-facing windows to block the sun's rays and avoid unwanted heat.
    — Alexis Simmerman, Austin American Statesman, 25 July 2025
  • Independent Insight from non-family professionals to challenge assumptions and avoid groupthink.
    — Paul Westall, Forbes.com, 24 July 2025
Definition of avoid
Noun
  • Going into the All-Star break, Judge is leading the majors with a .355 batting average and an OPS of 1.194.
    — Ryan Gaydos, FOXNews.com, 15 July 2025
  • Beal recommends cycling off periodically—for example, using the supplement for four weeks and then taking a two-week break.
    — Stephanie Brown, Verywell Health, 15 July 2025
Definition of break
Noun
  • But what looks like momentum can feel like avoidance.
    — Vibhas Ratanjee, Forbes.com, 24 July 2025
  • One of the buoying aspects of Shakman’s film is its avoidance of antagonist overexposure.
    — Michael Phillips, Chicago Tribune, 23 July 2025
Definition of avoidance

Phrases Containing escape

Browse Nearby Words

escapades
escape
escaped
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Escape.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/escape. Accessed 29 Jul. 2025.

Copy Citation

Share

More from Merriam-Webster on escape

Nglish: Translation of escape for Spanish Speakers

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

How to Use Em Dashes (—), En Dashes (–) , and Hyphens (-)

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

Using Bullet Points ( • )

The Difference Between 'i.e.' and 'e.g.'

Democracy or Republic: What's the difference?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

Our Best Historical Slang Terms

Even More Bird Names that Sound Like Insults (and Sometimes Are)

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World

Better Ways to Say 'This Sucks'

8 Words with Fascinating Histories
See More

Popular

See More

How to Use Em Dashes (—), En Dashes (–) , and Hyphens (-)

Our Best Historical Slang Terms

Even More Bird Names that Sound Like Insults (and Sometimes Are)
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
anagrams on a chalk board
Word Builder Quiz Pick the letter that when added to a word will ma...
See All