evasive

[ ih-vey-siv ]
/ ɪˈveɪ sɪv /
SEE SYNONYMS FOR evasive ON THESAURUS.COM

adjective

tending or seeking to evade; characterized by evasion: an evasive answer.
elusive or evanescent.

QUIZZES

DON’T VACILLATE! VANQUISH THIS WORD OF THE DAY QUIZ!

It’d be a real faux pas to miss this quiz on the words from August 3–9, 2020!
Question 1 of 7
What does “vacillate” mean?
to waver in mind or opinion; be indecisive or irresolute.
to cause to be empty or unoccupied.
to assent tacitly; agree; consent.
TAKE THE QUIZ TO FIND OUT

Origin of evasive

First recorded in 1715–25; evas(ion) + -ive

OTHER WORDS FROM evasive

Words nearby evasive

evapotranspiration, Evaristus, Evarts, évasé, evasion, evasive, Evatt, eve, evection, Evelyn, Evemerus
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2020

Words related to evasive

ambiguous, unclear, deceptive, misleading, cagey, vague, false, cunning, devious, elusive, fugitive, greasy, indirect, intangible, lying, oblique, shifty, slippery, sly, casuistic

Example sentences from the Web for evasive

British Dictionary definitions for evasive

evasive
/ (ɪˈveɪsɪv) /

adjective

tending or seeking to evade; avoiding the issue; not straightforward
avoiding or seeking to avoid trouble or difficultiesto take evasive action
hard to catch or obtain; elusive

Derived forms of evasive

evasively, adverbevasiveness, noun
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