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:
When her fiance suffered a medical emergency and their planned elopement and relationship fell apart, she could have quietly drawn a line under the chapter.
From BBC ● Oct. 31, 2026
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
Tensions flared most when Nava began to shape the story of the singer’s elopement with guitarist Chris Perez, whom she married in 1992.
From Los Angeles Times ● Dec. 13, 2025
Gerry and Theresa’s nuptials are neither a private affair, discreet elopement, nor intimate gathering.
From Slate ● Jan. 4, 2024
The Brownings’ elopement created a schism between their families. sherbet.
From "Woe Is I" by Patricia T. O'Conner
Once associated with secretive romances and hurried ceremonies, elopements have evolved into destination weddings set against spectacular backdrops.
From BBC ● Oct. 31, 2026
During the elopements, her husband Bill takes photos via drone and shoots video.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 6, 2025
Brittany Hamilton, a photographer in Fort Collins, Colorado, who specializes in elopements, has been rock climbing for six years.
From Seattle Times ● Nov. 5, 2023
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
This lover of hers was a man of the world and must have heard of elopements.
From Ayala's Angel by Anthony Trollope
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Get a wordDefinitions 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.
