Word
evasion
Phoneticseva·sion
US/iˈveɪʒən/
UK/ɪvˈeɪʒən/
Countable & uncountable
Definition
n. the act of avoiding something you are supposed to do, like paying taxes or answering a question. It often means being clever or dishonest to escape a duty.
n. the act of avoiding or escaping something through deceit or cleverness. Frequently refers to the illegal non-payment of taxes or the avoidance of direct answers in discourse.
Examples
“He was arrested for tax evasion.”
“The politician's constant evasion of the reporter's questions made the audience suspicious of his motives.”
“The company's complex network of offshore accounts was designed for the sole purpose of tax evasion, leading to a massive federal investigation.”
Examples
simple
“He was arrested for tax evasion.”
contextual
“The politician's constant evasion of the reporter's questions made the audience suspicious of his motives.”
complex
“The company's complex network of offshore accounts was designed for the sole purpose of tax evasion, leading to a massive federal investigation.”
Usage
Uncountable when referring to the general practice; countable when referring to specific instances of avoiding something.
Pitfall
tax avoidance
tax evasion
In legal contexts, 'avoidance' is the legal use of the regime to one's advantage, whereas 'evasion' is the illegal non-payment of taxes.
Real-World Examples
“Panorama also found evidence that backdated documents had been used in a tax evasion scheme.” “Police have previously said they believed Mr Phillips was being aided in his evasion by others.” Etymology
From Middle French évasion, from Late Latin evasionem (accusative of evasio).
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Word family
VERB
NOUN
ADJECTIVE
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.C1 AdvancedIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.7.0–8.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 5.0–5.595–113TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.945–990
- Frequency
- Frequent
- Level
- C1 · Advanced
- Updated
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englishreference.com/q/evasion