elude

[ih-lood]

verb (used with object)

eluded, eluding 

1. to avoid or escape by speed, cleverness, trickery, etc.; evade.

   to elude capture.

   Synonyms: dodge, shun

2. to escape the understanding, perception, or appreciation of.

   The answer eludes me.

elude

/ ɪˈluːd, ɪˈluːʒən /

verb

1. to escape or avoid (capture, one's pursuers, etc), esp by cunning

2. to avoid fulfilment of (a responsibility, obligation, etc); evade

3. to escape discovery, or understanding by; baffle

   the solution eluded her

Usage

Elude is sometimes wrongly used where allude is meant: he was alluding (not eluding) to his previous visit to the city

Other Word Forms

• eluder noun
• elusion noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of elude¹

First recorded in 1530–40; from Latin ēlūdere “to deceive, evade,” equivalent to ē- “from, out of” + lūdere “to play, deceive”; e- ¹

Word History and Origins

Origin of elude¹

C16: from Latin ēlūdere to deceive, from lūdere to play

Synonym Study

See escape.

Example Sentences

She already felt guilty enough for her fatal misjudgment of Reckzeh, who would survive the war and repeatedly elude attempts to bring him to justice afterward.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

U.S. troops never found Villa, whose legendary status was only enhanced as he eluded capture.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

But so far, at least, the prey had eluded the hunter.

Read more on Literature

They had eluded the rampaging pirates for the moment, but the theatrically inclined parrot still swooped overhead.

Read more on Literature

If the Home Office is going to get it right this time, it will require an astonishing amount of focus that has eluded it before.

Read more on BBC

Related Words

• baffle 
• confound 
• dodge 
• evade 
• flee 
• foil 
• frustrate 
• outrun 
• outwit 
• puzzle 
• shun 
• stall 
• stonewall 
• thwart