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escape

verb
es·​cape | \ i-ˈskāp How to pronounce escape (audio) , e-, dialectal ik-ˈskāp\
escaped; escaping

Definition of escape

 (Entry 1 of 3)

intransitive verb

1a : to get away (as by flight) escaped from prison
b : to issue from confinement gas is escaping
c of a plant : to run wild from cultivation
2 : to avoid a threatening evil the boat sank but the crew escaped

transitive verb

1 : to get free of : break away from escape the jungle escape the solar system
2 : to get or stay out of the way of : avoid efforts to escape poverty
3 : to fail to be noticed or recallable by his name escapes me
4a : to issue from a smile escaped me
b : to be uttered involuntarily by a sigh of relief escaped her

escape

noun

Definition of escape (Entry 2 of 3)

1 : an act or instance of escaping: such as
a : flight from confinement
b : evasion of something undesirable
c : leakage or outflow especially of a fluid
d : distraction or relief from routine or reality
2 : a means of escape
3 : a cultivated plant run wild
4 or less commonly Escape : escape key

escape

adjective

Definition of escape (Entry 3 of 3)

1 : providing a means of escape escape literature
2 : providing a means of evading a regulation, claim, or commitment an escape clause in a contract
Other Words from escape Synonyms Choose the Right Synonym Did You Know? More Example Sentences Learn More about escape

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Other Words from escape

Verb

escaper noun

Synonyms for escape

Synonyms: Verb

abscond, break out (of), clear out, flee, fly, get out, lam, run away, run off

Synonyms: Noun

break, breakout, bunk [British], flight, getaway, lam, rout, slip

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Choose the Right Synonym for escape

Verb

escape, avoid, evade, elude, shun, eschew mean to get away or keep away from something. escape stresses the fact of getting away or being passed by not necessarily through effort or by conscious intent. nothing escapes her sharp eyes avoid stresses forethought and caution in keeping clear of danger or difficulty. try to avoid past errors evade implies adroitness, ingenuity, or lack of scruple in escaping or avoiding. evaded the question by changing the subject elude implies a slippery or baffling quality in the person or thing that escapes. what she sees in him eludes me shun often implies an avoiding as a matter of habitual practice or policy and may imply repugnance or abhorrence. you have shunned your responsibilities eschew implies an avoiding or abstaining from as unwise or distasteful. a playwright who eschews melodrama

Did You Know?

If you were being held captive by someone gripping the coat or cloak you were wearing, you might be able to get away by slipping out of it. This is the idea on which the word escape is based. Escape is made up of the Latin prefix ex-, which means “out of,” and the Latin word cappa, which means “head covering” or “cloak.”

Examples of escape in a Sentence

Verb

 They managed to escape from the burning building. He needed a vacation to escape the routine of daily life. She moved to the city to escape the memory of her mother's death. trying to help people to escape poverty trying to help people to escape from poverty He succeeded in escaping punishment for many years. A few passengers somehow escaped injury. She barely escaped death when her car slid off the road. Several passengers escaped without injury.

Noun

 The prisoners attempted a daring escape. He celebrated his escape from his boring job with a long vacation. She had a lucky escape when she wasn't injured in the accident. She managed to avoid serious injury, but it was a narrow escape. The door was locked; there was no escape. Gardening offered an escape from her busy life. an accidental escape of poisonous gases trying to prevent further escape of liquid
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Recent Examples on the Web: Verb

 That helped La Habra escape bad field position and enabled La Habra to come away with a 21-14 win. — Los Angeles Times, "Logan Loya makes impressive debut for St. John Bosco," 24 Aug. 2019 Both Ramseyer and Super suggest putting bells on doors as a way to alert parents to escaping youngsters. — oregonlive.com, "After Portland 3-year-old is found wandering at night, 8 tips to keep toddlers safe," 22 Aug. 2019 Oroville, California -- All 10 people aboard a small jet escaped injury Wednesday when the aircraft aborted its takeoff at a small Northern California airport, went off the runway and burst into flames, officials said. — CBS News, ""They're very, very lucky people": 10 walk away unhurt after small jet slides off runway and burns," 22 Aug. 2019 The two pilots and eight passengers escaped without a single injury, Deal said. — Patrick May, The Mercury News, "24 hours, 3 plane crashes, 13 people — and zero fatalities," 22 Aug. 2019 The documentary Jawline observes the life of Austyn Tester, a teenage broadcaster on the platform YouNow who is trying to find success online with the hopes of escaping the limited prospects of his life in rural Tennessee. — Mahita Gajanan, Time, "The Costs of Trying—and Failing—to Be a Teen Influencer," 21 Aug. 2019 The last is an easy walk from the beach on the main drag, Mason Avenue, with a sprawling patio filled with picnic tables and a cozy tasting room ideal for escaping errant storms that blow off the bay. — Erica Jackson Curran, chicagotribune.com, "On the Eastern Shore, Virginia’s Cape Charles is in the midst of a small-town renaissance," 20 Aug. 2019 The officers had to quickly flee the spray of bullets by escaping t

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