elude

verb

ē-ˈlüd

eluded; eluding

Synonyms of elude next

transitive verb

: to avoid adroitly : evade

the mice eluded the traps

managed to elude capture

: to escape the perception, understanding, or grasp of

subtlety simply eludes them

victory continued to elude us

: defy sense 2

it eludes explanation

Choose the Right Synonym for elude

escape, avoid, evade, elude, shun, eschew 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

avoid stresses forethought and caution in keeping clear of danger or difficulty.

try to avoid past errors

evade implies adroitness, ingenuity, or lack of scruple in escaping or avoiding.

evaded the question by changing the subject

elude implies a slippery or baffling quality in the person or thing that escapes.

what she sees in him eludes me

shun often implies an avoiding as a matter of habitual practice or policy and may imply repugnance or abhorrence.

you have shunned your responsibilities

eschew implies an avoiding or abstaining from as unwise or distasteful.

a playwright who eschews melodrama

Example Sentences

The killer was able to elude the police. The killer has eluded capture. The cause of the disease continues to elude researchers.

Recent Examples on the Web Online court records show Lionel Womack was charged in Texas County, Oklahoma, with endangering others while eluding or attempting to elude police on Aug. 12, just days before his encounter with law enforcement officers in Kansas. —

Roxana Hegeman, ajc, 17 Dec. 2020 The nature of the safety breaches at UNC are particularly important now as the origins of COVID-19, which has killed more than 775,000 people worldwide and infected 21.7 million others, continue to elude public health officials and other investigators. —

Jessica Blake, ProPublica, 17 Aug. 2020 But a national title has eluded Huggins, who has the most wins of any coach to never cut down the championship nets. —

Santul Nerkar, New York Times, 17 June 2023 By the time the pandemic hit, Swift had wrested back control of her image, reclaiming the mantle of righteousness that had eluded her in 2015-16. —

Vulture, 3 June 2023 Milton is also interested in nailing exactly which black watch Dustin Hoffman wore in 1979’s Kramer vs. Kramer but admits that the answer so far has eluded him. —

Degen Pener, The Hollywood Reporter, 27 May 2023 The two counts of eluding police — one each for the chases in Waukesha and New Berlin — carry maximum penalties of 3½ years and a $10,000 fine. —

Jim Riccioli, Journal Sentinel, 25 May 2023 Katie Atkinson: This is the crossover moment that has eluded him. —

Katie Atkinson, Billboard, 23 May 2023 Along with outperforming Biden, Allred must hit the political trifecta that’s eluded statewide Democratic Party candidates. —

Gromer Jeffers Jr., Dallas News, 10 May 2023 See More

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'elude.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.