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 Quino responded to the coup with a strip that eschewed the convention of a story broken into panels, drawing instead a single horizontal image: a closeup of Mafalda, her eyes downcast and fearful. —Daniel Alarcón, New Yorker, 30 June 2025 The designers eschewed touch controls in favor of more tactile options. —Mark Sparrow, Forbes.com, 1 July 2025 Young people have previously eschewed manufacturing jobs due to low wages. —Sasha Rogelberg, Fortune, 30 June 2025 Selected as a 14-year-old by the Kingston Frontenacs in the OHL priority selection draft, Dervin eschewed the CHL path in order to preserve his eligibility to play in the NCAA. —Thomas Drance, New York Times, 29 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for eschew
Recent Examples of Synonyms for eschew
  1. avoid
  2. evade
  3. escape
Verb
  • Experts say Camp Mystic's requests to amend the FEMA map could have been an attempt to avoid the requirement to carry flood insurance, to lower the camp's insurance premiums or to pave the way for renovating or adding new structures under less costly regulations.
    — CBS News, CBS News, 12 July 2025
  • While every Italian city is unique in its own ways, there are a couple of ways to avoid being marked as a tourist on your next trip to sample La Dolce Vita.
    — Asia London Palomba, Travel + Leisure, 12 July 2025
Definition of avoid
Verb
  • Dexter stalks his next victim (Marc Menchaca) — a killer who targets ride-share drivers — while the ghost of his father Harry (James Remar) urges him to be careful, and a fidgety Harrison tries to evade police suspicions.
    — EW.com, EW.com, 10 July 2025
  • Ten people involved in the ambush were arrested that night or early the next morning, but Song evaded capture, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
    — Fort Worth Star-Telegram, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 10 July 2025
Definition of evade
Verb
  • When Huang was nine-years-old, his parents sent him and his older brother to the U.S. to escape widespread social unrest in Thailand.
    — Matt Durot, Forbes.com, 9 July 2025
  • Jeremiah Estrada promptly struck out Eugenio Suarez to escape that jam, and Adrián Morejón left the bases loaded the next inning with a strikeout of Marte.
    — Jeff Sanders, San Diego Union-Tribune, 9 July 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 18 Jul. 2025.

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Nglish: Translation of eschew for Spanish Speakers

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