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.

To elude them, he skis directly onto an Olympic bobsled track.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 8, 2026

The Londoner - having previously lost in world championship bouts to Sergey Kovalev in 2019 and Artur Beterbiev in 2022 - may now have to accept the possibility that a world title might elude him.

From BBC • Nov. 22, 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

Vocabulary lists containing elude

The Vocabulary.com Top 1000

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The Outsiders

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Grade 9, List 1

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