escaped; escaping
1
a
: to get away (as by flight)
escaped from prison
b
: to issue from confinement
gas is escaping
c
of a plant
: to run wild from cultivation
2
: to avoid a threatening evil
the boat sank but the crew escaped
1
: to get free of : break away from
escape the jungle
escape the solar system
2
: to get or stay out of the way of : avoid
efforts to escape poverty
3
: to fail to be noticed or recallable by
his name escapes me
4
a
: to issue from
a smile escaped me
b
: to be uttered involuntarily by
a sigh of relief escaped her
escaper
noun
1
: an act or instance of escaping: such as
a
: flight from confinement
b
: evasion of something undesirable
c
: leakage or outflow especially of a fluid
d
: distraction or relief from routine or reality
2
: a means of escape
3
: a cultivated plant run wild
4
or less commonly Escape
: escape key
1
: providing a means of escape
escape literature
2
: providing a means of evading a regulation, claim, or commitment
an escape clause in a contract
Did you know?
If you were being held captive by someone gripping the coat or cloak you were wearing, you might be able to get away by slipping out of it. This is the idea on which the word escape is based. Escape is made up of the Latin prefix ex-, which means “out of,” and the Latin word cappa, which means “head covering” or “cloak.”
Synonyms
Examples of escape in a Sentence
Verb
They managed to escape from the burning building.
He needed a vacation to escape the routine of daily life.
She moved to the city to escape the memory of her mother's death.
trying to help people to escape poverty
trying to help people to escape from poverty
He succeeded in escaping punishment for many years.
A few passengers somehow escaped injury.
She barely escaped death when her car slid off the road.
Several passengers escaped without injury.
Noun
The prisoners attempted a daring escape.
He celebrated his escape from his boring job with a long vacation.
She had a lucky escape when she wasn't injured in the accident.
She managed to avoid serious injury, but it was a narrow escape.
The door was locked; there was no escape.
Gardening offered an escape from her busy life.
an accidental escape of poisonous gases
trying to prevent further escape of liquid
Recent Examples on the Web
Doha Madani, NBC News, 14 Nov. 2024
Melly also faces legal challenges related to his time in jail, including accusations of conspiracy to escape from prison, though these have not been substantiated.
—Thomas G. Moukawsher, Newsweek, 5 Nov. 2024
Mike Stubbs, Forbes, 2 Nov. 2024
James tries screaming and pushing the container open, drawing the attention of others, who stack pillows over the container to prevent his escape.
—Andrés Buenahora, Variety, 1 Nov. 2024
David G. Allan, CNN, 4 Aug. 2022
Both works draw a line between the anti-escape devices used to control the enslaved and the subtler constraints on contemporary Black dissent.
—Julian Lucas, The New Yorker, 4 May 2022
See all Example Sentences for escape 
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Verb
Firefighters rescued one person who was trapped and assisted others in escaping the building.
—Doha Madani, NBC News, 14 Nov. 2024
Melly also faces legal challenges related to his time in jail, including accusations of conspiracy to escape from prison, though these have not been substantiated.
—Thomas G. Moukawsher, Newsweek, 5 Nov. 2024
Noun
The Escape From Tarkov Halloween event is in full swing and after a new patch earlier today two new quests have been added, as well as multiple changes being made to the zombie spawn rate.
—Mike Stubbs, Forbes, 2 Nov. 2024
James tries screaming and pushing the container open, drawing the attention of others, who stack pillows over the container to prevent his escape.
—Andrés Buenahora, Variety, 1 Nov. 2024
Adjective
One more benefit of recounting and recording your dreams is simply escape.
—David G. Allan, CNN, 4 Aug. 2022
Both works draw a line between the anti-escape devices used to control the enslaved and the subtler constraints on contemporary Black dissent.
—Julian Lucas, The New Yorker, 4 May 2022
See all Example Sentences for escape
Articles Related to escape
Dictionary Entries Near escape
Cite this Entry
“Escape.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/escape. Accessed 30 Nov. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
escape
1 of 2 verb
es·cape
is-ˈkāp 
escaped; escaping
1
a
: to get away
escape from the daily routine
escape from a burning building
b
: to leak out from some enclosed place
gas is escaping
c
: to grow in the wild after being in cultivation
2
: to get out of the way of : avoid
escape punishment
3
: to fail to be noticed or recalled by
the name escapes me
4
: to come out from or be uttered by unexpectedly or almost uncontrollably
a sigh of relief escaped us
escaper
noun
escape
2 of 2 noun1
: an act or instance of escaping
2
: a means of escaping
3
: a cultivated plant growing wild
Etymology
Verb
early French escaper "to escape," from assumed Latin excappare (same meaning), from Latin ex- "out, out of" and cappa "head covering, cloak" — related to cape entry 2
Word Origin
If you were being held captive by someone gripping your coat or cloak, you might be able to get away by slipping out of it. The word escape is based on that idea. Escape comes from the Latin prefix ex-, which means "out of," and the Latin word cappa, which means "head covering" or "cloak."
Medical Definition
escape
1 of 3 verb
es·cape
is-ˈkāp
escaped; escaping
: to avoid or find relief from something by means of an escape
: to avoid or find relief from (something) by means of an escape
he was unable to escape reality
escape
2 of 3 noun
: an act or instance of escaping: as
a
: evasion of something undesirable
find no method of escape from pain and suffering
b
: distraction or relief from routine or reality
especially
: mental distraction or relief by flight into idealizing fantasy or fiction that serves to glorify the self
escape
3 of 3 adjective
: providing a means of escape
escape literature
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