Meaning & use

elude

verb·Academic

To skillfully escape or avoid someone or something, such as capture or understanding.

See it in a sentence

The suspect eluded police for nearly three days before being caught.

The solution to the puzzle eluded her until late that night.

A note on using this word

"Elude" often applies to abstract things too, such as a word or memory that "eludes" someone, meaning they cannot recall or find it.

Words with a similar meaning

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Words with an opposite meaning

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