Synonyms for escape

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verb

flee, fly, leave, depart, elude, avoid, evade, dodge, run off, run away, get away, get out, slip away, make one's escape, make off, disappear, vanish, steal off, steal away, get away from, break out, break away, bolt, get free, get clear of, desert, slip out, elope, run out, run out on, leak out, flow out, gush forth, emerge, burst out, avoid danger, go free, go scot-free, decamp, abscond, take flight, take off, free oneself, break loose, gain, liberty, break one's bonds, break jail, get off, find a loophole, wriggle out, worm out of, slip by, get by, lead one a merry chase, duck out*, cut out*, make a getaway*, make a break*, get away with*, cut and run*, show one's heels*, cut loose*, clear out*, make oneself scarce*, play hooky*, go AWOL*, bail out*, save one's bacon*, save one's neck*, scram*, skidoo*, take a powder*, give one the slip*, shake*, shake off*, fly the coop*, take it on the lam*, leg it*, play hide and seek*, take French leave*, skip*, jump*.

Antonyms return*, come back, remain.

escape implies a getting out of, a keeping away from, or simply a remaining unaffected by an impending or present danger, evil, confinement, etc. to escape death, criticism, etc.; to avoid is to make a conscious effort to keep clear of something undesirable or harmful to avoid crowds during a flu epidemic; to evade is to escape or avoid by artifice, cunning, adroitness, etc. to evade pursuit, one's duty, etc.; to elude is to escape the grasp of someone or something by artful or slippery dodges or because of a baffling quality the criminal eluded the police, the meaning eluded him

noun

The act of escaping
flight, getaway, retreat, disappearance, evasion, avoidance, leave, departure, withdrawal, hegira, elopement, desertion, abdication, decampment, liberation, deliverance, rescue, freedom, release, extrication, breakout, jailbreak, break*, French leave*, close call*, close shave*, slip*, AWOL*.
Antonyms imprisonment*, retention, capture.
Place of escape
exit, outlet, way out, loophole, overflow, outflow, leakage, leak, fire escape, waste pipe, sewer, hatch, porthole, alleyway, floodgate, exhaust, draft, escape valve, vent.
Mental release
distraction, diversion, escapism; see avoidance, entertainment 1, oblivion 1.

See escape in Webster's New World Roget's A-Z Thesaurus II

verb

To break loose and leave suddenly, as from confinement or from a difficult or threatening situation:
abscond, break out, decamp, flee, fly, get away, run away. (Informal) skip (out). (Slang) lam. (Regional) absquatulate. Idioms: blow (or fly) the coop, cut and run, give someone the slip, make a getaway, take flight, take it on the lam. See free
To keep away from:
avoid, burke, bypass, circumvent, dodge, duck, elude, eschew, evade, get around, shun. Idioms: fight shy of, give a wide berth to, have no truck with, keep (or stay) (or steer) clear of. See seek
To fail to be fixed by the mind, memory, or senses of:
elude. Idiom: slip away from. See owned

noun

The act or an instance of escaping, as from confinement or difficulty:
break, breakout, decampment, escapement, flight, getaway. (Slang) lam. See free
The act, an instance, or a means of avoiding:
avoidance, bypass, circumvention, evasion. See seek
Freedom from worry, care, or unpleasantness:
forgetfulness, oblivion, obliviousness. See seek

See escape in American Heritage Dictionary 4 Synonyms

escape avoid shun eschew evade elude

These verbs mean to get or stay away from persons or things. Escape can mean to get free or to remain untouched or unaffected by something unwanted: “Let no guilty man escape, if it can be avoided” (Ulysses S. Grant).
Avoid always involves an effort to keep away from what is considered to be a source of danger or difficulty: avoiding strenuous exercise.
Shun refers to deliberately keeping clear of what is unwelcome or undesirable: “Family friends … she shunned like the plague” (John Galsworthy).
Eschew involves staying clear of something because to do otherwise would be unwise or morally wrong: “Eschew evil, and do good” (Book of Common Prayer).
Evade implies adroit maneuvering and sometimes implies dishonesty or irresponsibility: tried to evade jury duty.
To elude is to get away from artfully: eluded their pursuers.

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