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Synonyms

escapism

American  
[ih-skey-piz-uhm] / ɪˈskeɪ pɪz əm /

noun

  1. the avoidance of reality by absorption of the mind in entertainment or in an imaginative situation, activity, etc.

escapism British  
/ ɪˈskeɪpɪzəm /

noun

  1. an inclination to or habit of retreating from unpleasant or unacceptable reality, as through diversion or fantasy

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

  • escapist adjective

Etymology

Origin of escapism

First recorded in 1930–35; escape + -ism

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

She’s always worried about complaining or bringing too much real life into the escapism.

From Literature

"We just tried to provide that escapism and keep people going through it".

From BBC

It was sheer escapism and during the Depression, this was particularly welcome.

From The Wall Street Journal

Asked at the premiere about what the cast would have in their own magical land, the answers ranged from pure escapism to something a little closer to home.

From BBC

Hollywood thrived in this tough decade partly by catering to people’s need for fantasy and escapism, through screwball comedies, adventure stories and the elaborate musicals of Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers.

From The Wall Street Journal

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.