Definition

1. Adjective:
   • Avoiding capture or confrontation: Intentionally acting to escape from something difficult, dangerous, or unwanted, such as enemy fire or a direct question.
   • Deliberately unclear or ambiguous: Using language that is vague or indirect to avoid giving a clear, direct, or honest answer.

Usage and Examples

• General Use:
  • The politician gave an evasive answer to the journalist's question about the scandal.
  • The rabbit used evasive maneuvers to escape the fox.
• In Specific Contexts:
  • Military/Physical Avoidance: "The pilot took evasive action to avoid the missile."
  • Verbal Avoidance: "When asked about his future plans, he was evasive and changed the subject."

Advanced Usage

• "To be evasive": Describes a person's characteristic behavior of avoiding directness.
  • The witness was being evasive, which made the lawyer suspicious.
• "Evasive action": A specific maneuver to avoid a threat.
  • The driver had to take evasive action to prevent a collision.

Variants and Related Words

• Evasively (adverb): In an evasive manner.
  • He answered evasively.
• Evasiveness (noun): The quality of being evasive.
  • Her evasiveness only increased our doubts.

Synonyms

• Elusive: Difficult to find, catch, or achieve. (Focuses more on being hard to pin down.)
• Noncommittal: Not expressing a clear opinion or commitment.
• Equivocal: Ambiguous or open to more than one interpretation.

Antonyms

• Direct: Straightforward and clear.
• Forthright: Direct and outspoken.
• Frank: Open, honest, and direct in speech or writing.

Related Phrases and Idioms

• To dodge the question: To avoid answering a question directly. (This is a common phrase describing evasive verbal behavior.)
  • Instead of admitting fault, he kept dodging the question.

Adjective

1. avoiding or escaping from difficulty or danger especially enemy fire
   • pilots are taught to take evasive action
2. deliberately vague or ambiguous
   • his answers were brief, constrained and evasive
   • an evasive statement