elopement
Americannoun
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elopements
plural
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an act or instance of running off secretly, especially to be married.
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an act or instance of a patient or person in care leaving a hospital, care facility, or safe area independently without notifying anyone.
Nursing homes need strategies to cope with elopement.
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a small wedding ceremony with few or no guests and often without a reception.
The couple had a quiet elopement in Dublin with only their parents and an officiant present.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Etymology
Origin of elopement
First recorded in 1600–10; elope ( def. ) + -ment ( def. )
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.
See Examples For:
The Janet Jackson that “Control” unleashed on the world was a teenager shaking off the dust of two forgettable pop albums and a misguided elopement with another pop star, James DeBarge, when she was 18.
From Salon ● Apr. 11, 2026
“With AI, you could fake these photos, but the people who hire elopement adventure photographers want the full experience,” says Flynn.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 6, 2025
She said that an elopement climb shouldn’t require a couple to push themselves.
From Seattle Times ● Nov. 5, 2023
An elopement occurs when the happy couple secretly flees, usually in the middle of the night and usually to avoid parental objections.
From Washington Post ● Feb. 9, 2023
The Brownings’ elopement created a schism between their families. sherbet.
From "Woe Is I" by Patricia T. O'Conner
During the elopements, her husband Bill takes photos via drone and shoots video.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 6, 2025
The rule about elopements is to do it first and announce it afterward.
From Washington Post ● Feb. 21, 2022
The relentless rain forced three couples from the U.S. mainland to postpone their Maui elopements, said Nicole Bonanno, owner of Bella Bloom Floral, a wedding florist and boutique in Wailea.
From Seattle Times ● Dec. 6, 2021
Some look like elopements or first-time trips for nervous couples; others look like tearful reunions or contemplative solo journeys.
From Slate ● Feb. 24, 2021
It is surprising to remark,' continued Goethe, 'how large a portion of the life of a rich Englishman of rank is passed in duels and elopements.
From The International Monthly, Volume 2, No. 4, March, 1851 by Various
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