Escape — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

verb noun adjective /i-ˈskāp/ es·cape

Meaning & Definition of Escape

Escape (verb)

  1. to get away (as by flight)
  2. to issue from confinement, leak out
  3. to run wild from cultivation

Escape (noun)

  1. an act or instance of escaping
  2. flight from confinement
  3. evasion of something undesirable

Escape (adjective)

  1. providing a means of escape
  2. providing a means of evading a regulation, claim, or commitment

Escape (verb) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. to get free from a dangerous or confining situation

    "everyone managed to escape from the burning building in time"

    similar: abscond, break out (of), clear out, flee, fly, get out, lam, run away, run off, break free
    related: avoid, elude, evade, lose, shun, decamp, depart, elope, exit, go, leave, move, pull out, quit, sally (forth), shove (off), take off, walk out, disentangle, extricate, bring off, emancipate, enfranchise, free, liberate, loose, loosen, manumit, redeem, release, rescue, spring, unbind, uncage, unchain, unfetter
    near: abide, dwell, hang around, linger, remain, stay, stick around, tarry, come back, return

  2. to get or keep away from (as a responsibility) through cleverness or trickery

    "a judge who is very determined not to let criminals escape punishment"

    similar: avoid, dodge, duck, elude, eschew, evade, finesse, get around, scape, shake, shirk, shuffle (out of), shun, weasel (out of), fight shy of, keep clear of, stay clear of, steer clear of
    related: miss, avert, deflect, divert, obviate, parry, prevent, ward (off), ban, bar, debar, eliminate, except, exclude, preclude, rule out, bypass, circumvent, skirt, foil, fox, frustrate, outfox, outsmart, outwit, overreach, thwart
    near: accept, court, embrace, pursue, seek, welcome, catch, contract, incur

Escape (noun) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. the act or an instance of getting free from danger or confinement

    "a daring prison escape"

    similar: break, breakout, bunk (British), flight, getaway, lam, rout, slip
    related: jailbreak, deliverance, liberation, redemption, release, rescue, salvation, close call, close shave, near miss
    near: captivity, confinement, immurement, imprisonment, incarceration, internment, custody, detention, hold, holding, retention, endangerment, hazard, imperilment, jeopardy, peril, risk, trouble

  2. the act or a means of getting or keeping away from something undesirable

    "the reading of science fiction novels as an escape from boring reality"

    similar: avoidance, cop-out, dodging, ducking, eluding, elusion, eschewal, eschewing, evasion, out, shaking, shunning
    related: bypassing, circumvention, runaround, sidestepping, skirting, averting, deflection, obviation, precluding, prevention
    near: abidance, endurance, submission, toleration

Related Entry: Escape hatch (noun)

Escape hatch is a different word from Escape. The synonyms below are for escape hatch, not for escape.

  1. as in release, escape

    similar: escape, release, egress, exit, issue, outlet, gate, mouth, opening, passage, vent
    opposite: entrance, entranceway, entry, entryway, ingress, access, entrée

Related Entry: Escape hatches (noun)

Escape hatches is a different word from Escape. The synonyms below are for escape hatches, not for escape.

  1. as in releases, escapes

    similar: escapes, releases, egresses, exits, issues, outlets, gates, mouths, openings, passages, vents
    opposite: entrances, entranceways, entries, entryways, ingresses, accesses, entrées

Related Entry: Hairbreadth escape (phrase)

Hairbreadth escape is a different word from Escape. The synonyms below are for hairbreadth escape, not for escape.

  1. a barely successful escape from something undesirable

    "The surfer made a hairbreadth escape from the shark."

    similar: close call, close shave, near miss, narrow escape, near escape
    related: squeaker
    near: misfire

Related Entry: Narrow escape (phrase)

Narrow escape is a different word from Escape. The synonyms below are for narrow escape, not for escape.

  1. a barely successful escape from something undesirable

    "The fallen hiker had a narrow escape from death when someone spotted him in need of help."

    similar: close call, close shave, near miss, hairbreadth escape, near escape
    related: squeaker
    near: misfire

Related Entry: Near escape (phrase)

Near escape is a different word from Escape. The synonyms below are for near escape, not for escape.

  1. a barely successful escape from something undesirable

    "The pilot's near escape after the crash was the talk of the town for weeks."

    similar: close call, close shave, near miss, hairbreadth escape, narrow escape
    related: squeaker
    near: misfire

Synonyms, Thesaurus & Another Word for Escape

The most common words with a similar meaning to Escape:

British: bunk
abscond, break out (of), clear out, flee, fly, get out, lam, run away, run off, avoid, dodge, duck, elude, eschew, evade, finesse, get around, scape, shake, shirk, shuffle (out of), shun, weasel (out of), break free, fight shy of, keep clear of, stay clear of, steer clear of, break, breakout, flight, getaway, rout, slip, avoidance, cop-out, dodging, ducking, eluding, elusion

Related Words for Escape

lose, decamp, depart, elope, exit, go, leave, move, pull out, quit, sally (forth), shove (off), take off, walk out, disentangle, extricate, bring off, emancipate, enfranchise, free, liberate, loose, loosen, manumit, redeem, release, rescue, spring, unbind, uncage

Near Antonyms of Escape

abide, dwell, hang around, linger, remain, stay, stick around, tarry, come back, return, accept, court, embrace, pursue, seek, welcome, catch, contract, incur, captivity, confinement, immurement, imprisonment, incarceration, internment, custody, detention, hold, holding, retention

Word Forms of Escape

Inflections: escaped, escaping

Derived words: escaper (noun)

Origin & Etymology of Escape

Middle English, from Anglo-French escaper, eschaper, from Vulgar Latin *excappare, from Latin ex- + Late Latin cappa head covering, cloak

First known use: 13th centuryi

Vocabulary Lists & Topics for Escape

Words & Phrases Containing Escape

escape artist, escape hatch, escape key, escape mechanism, escape room, escape valve, escape velocity

Frequently Asked Questions about Escape

What does "Escape" mean?

"Escape" means to get away (as by flight). As an a verb, a noun and an adjective, it is defined as: to get away (as by flight). It has 4 distinct senses.

What is another word for "Escape"?

Other words for "Escape" include abscond, break out (of), clear out, flee, fly, get out, lam and run away. The best synonym depends on which meaning of "Escape" you intend.

What are different ways to say "Escape"?

There are 124 words and phrases with a similar meaning to "Escape". Common alternatives include abscond, break out (of), clear out, flee, fly, get out, lam, run away, run off and avoid.

How do you use "Escape" in a sentence?

Examples of "Escape" in a sentence: "everyone managed to escape from the burning building in time"; "a judge who is very determined not to let criminals escape punishment"; "a daring prison escape".

Is "Escape" a noun, verb, or adjective?

"Escape" can be used as a verb, a noun and an adjective, depending on the context.

Is "Escape" useful for IELTS, TOEFL, and other English exams?

As a B1-level word, "Escape" is typical of Cambridge B1 Preliminary (PET), IELTS band 4.0–5.0, TOEFL iBT 42–71, PTE Academic 43–58, TOEIC Listening & Reading 550+.

How do you pronounce "Escape"?

"Escape" is pronounced /i-ˈskāp/ and divided into syllables as es·cape.

What is the origin of the word "Escape"?

"Escape" comes from Middle English, from Anglo-French escaper, eschaper, from Vulgar Latin *excappare, from Latin ex- + Late Latin cappa head covering, cloak. First known use: 13th centuryi.