eschew

verb

e-ˈshü How to pronounce eschew (audio)
Definition of eschewnext
as in to avoid
to get or keep away from (as a responsibility) through cleverness or trickery the minister eschews involvement in local politics, since he doesn't want to diminish his moral authority in the community

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

How does the verb eschew contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of eschew are avoid, elude, escape, evade, and shun. While all these words mean "to get away or keep away from something," eschew implies an avoiding or abstaining from as unwise or distasteful.

a playwright who eschews melodrama

Where would avoid be a reasonable alternative to eschew?

The meanings of avoid and eschew largely overlap; however, avoid stresses forethought and caution in keeping clear of danger or difficulty.

try to avoid past errors

When is elude a more appropriate choice than eschew?

The words elude and eschew 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 could escape be used to replace eschew?

While the synonyms escape and eschew are close in meaning, 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 is it sensible to use evade instead of eschew?

The words evade and eschew can be used in similar contexts, but 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 eschew?

Although the words shun and eschew have much in common, 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 eschew The latter is home to teams made up of players that eschew the traditional approach to competition in favor of using a kickball game as an excuse to have a party on the field. —Sean Clancy, Arkansas Online, 11 May 2025 The discussions, which were confirmed by Trump aide Stephen Miller, are in response to the nationwide injunctions against the president’s actions on deportations, which eschew due process protections. —Jade Walker, CNN Money, 12 May 2025 NBCUniversal, Fox, Disney, Warner Bros. Discovery and TelevisaUnivision (with Paramount still eschewing the spotlight) will face stiff competition in the form of Amazon, Netflix and YouTube. —Dade Hayes, Deadline, 11 May 2025 Leo was seen wearing simple black shoes — eschewing, as Francis did, the red loafers of the papacy preferred by some traditionalist popes. —Nicole Winfield, Chicago Tribune, 9 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for eschew
Recent Examples of Synonyms for eschew
  1. avoid
  2. evade
  3. escape
Verb
  • Hoerner avoided the tag, which would’ve been the second out of the inning.
    — C. Trent Rosecrans, New York Times, 26 May 2025
  • The officer recommended the Palestinians be dressed in army clothes to avoid misidentification.
    — Sam Mednick, Los Angeles Times, 25 May 2025
Definition of avoid
Verb
  • Massey has evaded hundreds of authorities in a multistate manhunt.
    — Holly Yan, CNN Money, 3 June 2025
  • 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
Definition of evade
Verb
  • While restaurants, meatpackers and countless other businesses now risk having workers targeted by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, tech employers have largely escaped Trump administration scrutiny for their use of foreign labor.
    — Alec MacGillis, ProPublica, 3 June 2025
  • But the Hurricanes escaped further trouble when Joey Urban — with runners on the corners — bounced into an inning-ending double play.
    — Walter Villa, Miami Herald, 3 June 2025
Definition of escape

Browse Nearby Words

escarpments
eschew
eschewal
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Cite this Entry

“Eschew.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/eschew. Accessed 7 Jun. 2025.

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