shun

verb

ˈshən How to pronounce shun (audio)
Definition of shunnext
as in to avoid
to get or keep away from (as a responsibility) through cleverness or trickery just a ruse to shun the debt collectors

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

How does the verb shun contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of shun are avoid, elude, escape, eschew, and evade. While all these words mean "to get away or keep away from something," shun often implies an avoiding as a matter of habitual practice or policy and may imply repugnance or abhorrence.

you have shunned your responsibilities

Where would avoid be a reasonable alternative to shun?

In some situations, the words avoid and shun are roughly equivalent. However, avoid stresses forethought and caution in keeping clear of danger or difficulty.

try to avoid past errors

When can elude be used instead of shun?

While the synonyms elude and shun are close in meaning, elude implies a slippery or baffling quality in the person or thing that escapes.

what she sees in him eludes me

When is escape a more appropriate choice than shun?

The synonyms escape and shun are sometimes interchangeable, but 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 might eschew be a better fit than shun?

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

a playwright who eschews melodrama

In what contexts can evade take the place of shun?

Although the words evade and shun have much in common, evade implies adroitness, ingenuity, or lack of scruple in escaping or avoiding.

evaded the question by changing the subject

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 shun For Trump, who had been shunned by other celebrities both during and after the election, the visits were an opportunity to reaffirm his pop-culture clout. —M. J. Corey, New Yorker, 24 May 2025 Two points: For years, Stanford shunned anything to do with NIL. —Chris Branch, New York Times, 1 May 2025 The former Minnesota Democratic congressman was widely shunned for running against Biden and discredited for his accusations that Biden wasn’t capable of being president again. —Ross O'Keefe, The Washington Examiner, 22 May 2025 The man whose voyages led to the introduction of Western European civilization and culture to a new world and who was once considered a genius and a hero is now shunned by the likes of history revisionists. —Chicago Tribune, 15 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for shun
Recent Examples of Synonyms for shun
  1. avoid
  2. evade
  3. escape
Verb
  • Snow cowered in the back, avoiding eye contact when Kiersten tried reaching her hand out.
    — Liz O'Connell, MSNBC Newsweek, 6 June 2025
  • 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
Definition of avoid
Verb
  • 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
  • Massey has evaded hundreds of authorities in a multistate manhunt.
    — Holly Yan, CNN Money, 3 June 2025
Definition of evade
Verb
  • The main thing to avoid is a wide-mouthed glass, which lets aromas escape too quickly.
    — Emily Price, Forbes.com, 3 June 2025
  • 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
Definition of escape

Browse Nearby Words

shuls
shun
shunned
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Cite this Entry

“Shun.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/shun. Accessed 10 Jun. 2025.

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More from Merriam-Webster on shun

Nglish: Translation of shun for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about shun

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