# elude

/ɪˈɫud/ (US) · /ɪlˈuːd/ (UK) · CEFR C1 · Verb

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/elude
Updated: 2026-05-26

## Definition

to avoid being caught, seen, or understood. You use this when someone or something is hard to catch or hard to find.

For teachers: to succeed in avoiding or escaping from something; to be beyond the reach of capture or detection. Often used in the context of law enforcement, physical pursuit, or abstract concepts like truth or memory.

## Examples

- The thief managed to elude the police for three days.
- Despite the detective's best efforts, the suspect managed to elude capture by hiding in a crowded subway station.
- The solution to the puzzle seemed to elude the researchers for months, only revealing itself when they finally considered a completely different set of variables.

---

From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.