eluded

verb

past tense of elude
as in evaded
to get or keep away from (as a responsibility) through cleverness or trickery the millionaire had been eluding his fair share of taxes for years before getting caught

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of eluded If the ball eluded Schmitt, Colorado would score, at the minimum, two more runs. — Justice Delos Santos, Mercury News, 4 July 2026 This time around, Thriller rises and nearly makes it to a position that has thus far eluded the blockbuster. — Hugh McIntyre, Forbes.com, 1 July 2026 Yet, the one that has yet eluded this power duo is overall victory in SailGP. — Andrew Rice, New York Times, 19 June 2026 Back in the present, Marina leaves Vigo with a clutch of new relationships and an understanding of her own origins that had previously eluded her. — Justin Chang, New Yorker, 26 June 2026 Details of Donkey's origin have long eluded Shrek fanatics, as his character is introduced at the beginning of the series' first film without much backstory to speak of. — Wesley Stenzel, Entertainment Weekly, 25 June 2026 But the clutch hit eluded the Yankees throughout Sunday’s 4-1 defeat in the Bronx, continuing a weekend-long trend while clinching a series loss to Cincinnati. — Peter Sblendorio, New York Daily News, 21 June 2026 If not for the enormous backlash—which included a conference lawsuit and threats of a boycott by other schools—the Red Raiders would have happily held their noses and competed for the national championship that eluded them last year. — Jemele Hill, The Atlantic, 19 June 2026 Her whereabouts have eluded investigators and stirred up theories both feasible and outlandish among the 4,000-person community as the townspeople tried to make sense of what could have happened to the young woman. — Dalia Faheid, CNN Money, 21 June 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for eluded
  1. evaded
  2. avoided
  3. escaped
Verb
  • On the phone, my friend Monika is telling me about a lost dog in her Salt Lake City neighborhood, a blue heeler who’s been seen limping and has evaded capture.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 29 June 2026
  • Russia intercepts most Ukrainian long-range drones but some have evaded Russian air defenses.
    — Joanna Kakissis, NPR, 27 June 2026
Definition of evaded
Verb
  • Indeed, the folks in Akron, Amherst and Monroe, among other locales, have long awaited the winds of change, which have avoided blowing out the stale air caused by chronic losing.
    — Tom Layberger, Forbes.com, 6 July 2026
  • Portugal’s Cristiano Ronaldo avoided a suspension for the start of this year’s tournament after a foul during a World Cup qualifier match.
    — Yash Roy, Fortune, 5 July 2026
Definition of avoided
Verb
  • William Carney, a man who escaped slavery to become a Union soldier in the Civil War and who was awarded the Medal of Honor for protecting the American flag from touching the ground during battle.
    — Diego Mendoza, CNN Money, 4 July 2026
  • Born enslaved in Maryland, Frederick Douglass (1818-1895) escaped to the North and emerged as the nation’s leading abolitionist and major literary political figure of his time.
    — Melia Patria, ABC News, 4 July 2026
Definition of escaped

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eluded
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Cite this Entry

“Eluded.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/eluded. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on eluded

Nglish: Translation of eluded for Spanish Speakers

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