adjective
-
tending or seeking to evade; avoiding the issue; not straightforward
-
avoiding or seeking to avoid trouble or difficulties
to take evasive action
-
hard to catch or obtain; elusive
Other Word Forms
- evasively adverb
- evasiveness noun
- nonevasive adjective
- nonevasively adverb
- nonevasiveness noun
- unevasive adjective
- unevasively adverb
- unevasiveness noun
Etymology
Origin of evasive
Explanation
To be evasive is to avoid something, whether it's a touchy subject or the person who's "it" in a game of tag. If you're dodging the truth and not giving straight answers, then you're being evasive. Which is probably not the best strategy when the police are asking the questions. From the French évasif, it’s an adjective that describes someone who's being intentionally shifty or vague. But a concept that’s hard to pin down or comprehend can also be considered evasive.
Vocabulary lists containing evasive
Freak the Mighty
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100 SAT Words Beginning with "E"
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And Then There Were None
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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.
Instead the training for the soldiers of the 12th Armored Brigade focused on fundamentals like hand-eye coordination on controls, evasive maneuvers and rapid attacks.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 7, 2026
Murtazaliev looked to have got to grips with Kelly's evasive style in the latter rounds, but the home fighter rallied in the last three minutes to end strongly.
From BBC • Jan. 31, 2026
Speaking on the eve of his side's home game against high-flying Aston Villa, he was evasive when asked about the United job.
From Barron's • Jan. 6, 2026
Judge Ellis wrote that she “specifically finds his testimony not credible,” adding: “Bovino appeared evasive over the three days of his deposition, either providing ‘cute’ responses to plaintiffs’ counsel’s questions or outright lying.”
From Slate • Nov. 21, 2025
The U.S. government was evasive about exactly what had happened, saying only that “the test program included experiments contributing to thermonuclear weapons research.”
From "Fallout: Spies, Superbombs, and the Ultimate Cold War Showdown" by Steve Sheinkin
Definitions 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.
