WordGarden.ioevasion
C2Pronunciation
UK
- /ɪvˈeɪʒən/
US
- /iˈveɪʒən/
Meanings
Noun
the act of avoiding something unwanted, difficult, or inconvenient
illegal avoidance of a legal or financial obligation, especially paying tax
an indirect or vague answer that avoids addressing something directly
More meaningsFewer meanings
escape from or avoidance of capture, pursuit, attack, or detection
a technical process by which a pathogen, tumor, or system avoids biological detection or response
Beyond the definition
Imagine a skilled politician. Instead of answering a hard question directly, they slide around it and move the conversation somewhere safer. That is evasion in action. It is more than simply avoiding something; it is a deliberate way of not facing it. A fugitive may use it to avoid capture, and a witness may use it to avoid telling an uncomfortable truth. Sometimes it comes from self-protection, and sometimes from a wish to avoid responsibility. Think of a player in a game of tag, always dodging and turning so no one can catch them.
Evasion refers to the act of deliberately avoiding something, whether that is a question, a duty, or physical capture. It is not just passive avoidance. It suggests active effort to get around something or stay out of its way.
The meaning depends on the situation. In legal or financial contexts, it often describes an illegal attempt to avoid taxes or other duties, as in the phrase "tax evasion." In everyday life, it can describe the habit of avoiding clear answers, firm choices, or direct conflict. In stories, it often appears as a character trait in someone who keeps slipping away from commitment, blame, or danger.
The word often has a negative feeling because it suggests that someone is not being open or honest. Still, it is not always bad. An animal using quick movement to escape a predator is also showing evasion. The difference is that in human situations, the word often hints at avoiding consequences or refusing to deal with something plainly.
Consider the difference: a person might avoid answering a question once, but an evasive person keeps working to avoid a straight answer. A squirrel may use quick turns to escape a predator, while a politician may use careful words to avoid scrutiny. In the end, evasion is not just simple avoidance; it is intentional avoidance with action behind it.
Examples
- 1
Public questioning
When the reporter asked about the missing funds, his answer was pure evasion.
- 2
Subject changes
All the jokes and subject changes were just evasion.
- 3
Avoiding responsibility
The board accused him of evasion of responsibility after the project failed.
- Phraseevasion of responsibility
avoiding blame or duty
- 4
Election debates
Voters were tired of the candidate's evasion during debates about housing costs.
More examplesFewer examples
- 5
Tax crime
The businessman was sent to prison for tax evasion.
See also
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Shades of meaning
Contrast
Used with (collocations)
- tax evasion
- evasion of responsibility
- evasion of the question
Word family
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Forms and spellings
2 forms open this card.
Main spelling
- evasionnoun
Forms
- evasionspluralnoun