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Definitions

elude

[ih-lood] / ɪˈlud /
VERB
avoid; escape
Synonyms
STRONGEST
baffle confound dodge evade flee foil frustrate outrun outwit puzzle shun stall stonewall thwart
STRONG
bilk circumvent ditch double duck eschew fly shirk shuck shy stump
WEAK
be beyond someone beat around the bush cop out get around get away from give the runaround give the slip give wide berth to hem and haw not touch pass the buck pass up run around stay shy of steer clear of
Antonyms
STRONGEST
abet aid assist clarify clear up encourage enlighten explain face help meet support
WEAK
attract confront encounter entice invite take on

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Prizes may elude Liu this awards season, but she should be in the conversation.

From Los Angeles Times • Dec. 12, 2025

She already felt guilty enough for her fatal misjudgment of Reckzeh, who would survive the war and repeatedly elude attempts to bring him to justice afterward.

From The Wall Street Journal • Nov. 19, 2025

El-Fasher, the last state capital in the vast region of Darfur to elude the RSF's grasp, has become the latest strategic front in the war as the paramilitaries attempt to consolidate power in the west.

From Barron's • Oct. 11, 2025

For a long while, Newsom’s shiftiness seemed to elude his self-perception.

From Slate • Aug. 26, 2025

He had represented the limitless possibilities in us all by living his life, striving for those dreams that seemed to elude the neighborhood year after year.

From "Bodega Dreams" by Ernesto Quinonez

From Roget's 21st Century Thesaurus, Third Edition Copyright © 2013 by the Philip Lief Group.