evasion
ee-VAY-zhun
/ɪˈveɪʒən/
The act of avoiding something that you are supposed to do or deal with, especially a duty or a question.
Evasion often implies a clever or slippery way of avoiding something, rather than a direct refusal.
The story behind the word. From the Latin 'evadere', meaning 'to go out' or 'to escape'. It shares a root with 'invade' (to go in). To evade is to find a way out of a trap or a duty.
Word relationships
- dodging: Dodging is more physical or informal; evasion is more formal and can apply to abstract duties.
- confrontation: Facing a problem or question directly.
Commonly confused with
- avoidance: Avoidance is a general term; evasion often carries a negative connotation of being 'shifty' or illegal.
Word family
- evade (verb): To escape or avoid, especially by guile or trickery.
- evasive (adjective): Tending to avoid commitment or self-revelation.
Collocations
- tax evasion
- evasion of responsibility
- skillful evasion
Example sentences
- "The minister's response was a masterclass in evasion, as he never actually answered the reporter's question." A politician avoiding a direct question during an interview.
- "He was eventually charged with tax evasion after years of hiding his offshore accounts." Regarding financial crimes.
Memory hook
Think of 'E-vasion' as 'Exit-vasion'—finding the exit to avoid a situation. Going out of your way to avoid.
When not to use
Do not use 'evasion' if someone simply forgets to do something; it implies intent to avoid.
Fun facts
- In military terms, 'Evasion and Escape' (E&E) is the set of skills used by soldiers to avoid capture in enemy territory.
Related words
Explore more words
subterfuge, prevaricate, stall, Circumlocution, equivocate, gloss over
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