evasion

UK: /ɪˈveɪʒ^ən/ US: /ɪˈveɪʒən/ ,(i vā′zhən)

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2026

e•va•sion /ɪˈveɪʒən/   n. 

1. an act or instance of evading:
   [countable] an evasion of one's duty.
   [uncountable] guilty of fraud and tax evasion.
2. the avoiding of an accusation, question, or the like, as by a failing to tell the truth;
   subterfuge:
   [countable] The jurors distrusted the witness for his many evasions.

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026

e•va•sion  (i vā′zhən), n. 

1. an act or instance of escaping, avoiding, or shirking something:
   evasion of one's duty.
2. the avoiding of an argument, accusation, question, or the like, as by a subterfuge:
   The old political boss was notorious for his practice of evasion.
3. a means of evading;
   subterfuge;
   an excuse or trick to avoid or get around something:
   Her polite agreement was an evasion concealing what she really felt.
4. physical or mental escape.
5. an act or instance of violating the tax laws by failing or refusing to pay all or part of one's taxes.

• Latin ēvāsiōn- (stem of ēvāsiō), equivalent. to ēvās(us) (past participle of ēvādere to go out; see evade) + -iōn- -ion
• late Middle English 1375–1425

e•va′sion•al, adj. 
Synonyms

• 1. avoidance, dodging.
• 2. prevarication, equivocation, quibbling.

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

evasion / ɪˈveɪʒən/ noun

1. the act of evading or escaping, esp from a distasteful duty, responsibility, etc, by trickery, cunning, or illegal means: tax evasion
2. trickery, cunning, or deception used to dodge a question, duty, etc; means of evading

Etymology: 15th Century: from Late Latin ēvāsiō, from Latin ēvādere to go forth; see evade