definitions

escapism

[ ih-skey-piz-uh m ]
/ ɪˈskeɪ pɪz əm /
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SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR escapism ON THESAURUS.COM

noun

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

RELATED WORDS

restraint, evasion, prevention, dodge, recession, flight, forbearance, departure, parry, delay, circumvention, recoil, retreat, escape, self-restraint, elusion, nonparticipation, shunning, eschewal

Nearby words

escaped ventricular contraction, escapee, escapement, escapement error, escapeway, escapism, escapologist, escapology, escargot, escarole, escarp

Origin of escapism

First recorded in 1930–35; escape + -ism

Related forms

es·cap·ist, adjective, noun
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for escapism

British Dictionary definitions for escapism

escapism

/ (ɪˈskeɪpɪzəm) /

noun

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

Derived Forms

escapist, noun, adjective
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

Medicine definitions for escapism

escapism

[ ĭ-skā′pĭz′əm ]

n.

The tendency to escape from daily reality or routine by indulging in daydreaming, fantasy, or entertainment.
The American Heritage® Stedman's Medical Dictionary Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.