evasion

noun

eva·​sion i-ˈvā-zhən 

ē-

1

: a means of evading : dodge

Bankruptcy becomes a kind of evasion when firms, some of them still profitable, attempt to avoid obligations that are merely inconvenient.

—Mary Graham

2

: the act or an instance of evading : escape

suspected of tax evasion

Synonyms of evasion

• escape
• avoidance

Examples of evasion in a Sentence

He was arrested for tax evasion.

They came up with an evasion of the law to keep all the land for themselves.

His reply was nothing but careful evasions.

Recent Examples on the Web

Fan largely disappeared from Chinese screens after a 2018 tax evasion case. — Lin Ying-Hsuan, Variety, 9 Oct. 2026

Molloy’s fraud was on Southeastern, a National Rail operator, rather than the Tube, but fare evasion still costs London’s transit system heavily. — Catherina Gioino, Fortune, 9 Oct. 2026

Devon Horton, former DeKalb County School District superintendent, pleaded guilty to federal charges of wire fraud, embezzlement and tax evasion Monday morning, Jason Armesto reports. — Adam Beam, AJC.com, 6 Oct. 2026

The new law further develops criteria to help show an LLC as a shell company involved in a potential tax evasion scheme. — Suhauna Hussain, Los Angeles Times, 6 Oct. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Anglo-French or Late Latin; Anglo-French, from Late Latin evasion-, evasio, from Latin evadere to evade

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for evasion

• abrasion
• caucasian
• equation
• eurasian
• invasion
• occasion
• persuasion
• asian
• suasion
• athanasian

Kids Definition

evasion

noun

eva·​sion i-ˈvā-zhən 

1

: a means of evading

2

: the act or an instance of evading : escape

tax evasion

Legal Definition

evasion

noun

eva·​sion i-ˈvā-zhən 

1

: a means of evading

2

: the act or an instance of evading see also tax evasion