evasively

American  

[ee-vays-iv-lee] / iˈveɪs ɪv li /

adverb

1. in an evasive manner or position; in a way that avoids capture, detection, or contact.

2. in a way that evades responsibility or avoids clear and direct communication.

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Explanation

To do something evasively is to do it in a round about, indirect, or slightly sneaky way. When a politician responds to a question evasively, she avoids a straightforward, honest answer. When you speak evasively, you come very close to lying — you're not being forthright, but are instead skirting around what's true. A criminal in court might answer a lawyer's questions evasively, and someone who's using a fake name might behave evasively when asked about his history. If you move evasively, you avoid being caught, and the Latin root, evadere, means "to get away or escape."

Example Sentences

If the interposition of the State legislatures be necessary to give effect to a measure of the Union, they have only NOT TO ACT, or TO ACT EVASIVELY, and the measure is defeated.

From The Federalist Papers by Madison, James

If the interposition of the State legislatures be necessary to give effect to a measure of the Union, they have only NOT TO ACT, or to ACT EVASIVELY, and the measure is defeated.

From The Federalist Papers by Madison, James