eschew

American  

[es-choo] / ɛsˈtʃu /

verb (used with object)

1. to abstain or keep away from; shun; avoid.

   to eschew evil.

   Synonyms:

   forgo, boycott, circumvent

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eschew British  

/ ɪsˈtʃuː /

verb

1. (tr) to keep clear of or abstain from (something disliked, injurious, etc); shun; avoid

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Other Word Forms

• eschewal noun
• eschewer noun
• uneschewed adjective

Etymology

Origin of eschew

1300–50; Middle English eschewen < Old French eschiver, eschever < Germanic; compare Old High German sciuhen, German scheuchen, shy ²

Explanation

If you eschew something, you deliberately avoid it. If you love the hustle and bustle of a big city, then most likely you eschew the suburbs. Eschew comes from a word meaning "dread," or "shun." So to eschew something isn’t simply to avoid it, the way you would avoid walking in a puddle — it's stronger than that. You eschew things that you find morally or aesthetically wrong, or that you have chosen to find wrong. Some people eschew processed food and sugary drinks due to health reasons and others eschew using social media during work in order to stay focused.

Example Sentences

She warned him to get out while he still could, worried her only son would eschew his true self.

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 15, 2026

To be sure, reducing reliance on U.S. debt doesn’t mean one can eschew U.S. assets completely.

From Barron's • Jan. 21, 2026

While Europe’s reaction to Russia’s accusations was muted, Russia’s allies China and India urged Moscow to eschew intensifying the war and called for the continuation of negotiations.

From The Wall Street Journal • Dec. 30, 2025

But for investors, political fallout is not so easy to eschew.

From MarketWatch • Nov. 28, 2025

I was uninjured, and since pride is a Deadly Sin which I feel I generally eschew, absolutely nothing was hurt.

From "A Confederacy of Dunces" by John Kennedy Toole

Related Words

• abandon
• avoid
• forgo
• forswear
• renounce
• shun
• shy away from
• swear off