Escape Definition and Meaning
Edited by Tayyaba Rehman — By Fiza Rafique — Published on April 12, 2025
Escape refers to break free from confinement or control. e.g., The prisoner managed to escape through a small window.
Table of Contents
ADVERTISEMENT
Escape Definitions
To avoid a threat or imminent danger.
He managed to escape the fire by running to the nearest exit.
To elude or get free from something unpleasant or constraining.
He needed to escape the stress of his job.
To omit or forget something unintentionally.
Her name escapes me at the moment.
To be broadcast or made public unintentionally.
The confidential email escaped onto the internet.
To break loose from confinement; get free
Escape from jail.
ADVERTISEMENT
To issue from confinement or enclosure; leak or seep out
Gas was escaping from the vent.
To avoid a serious or unwanted outcome
Escaped from the accident with their lives.
(Biology) To become established in the wild. Used of a plant or animal.
(Computers) To interrupt a command, exit a program, or change levels within a program by using a key, combination of keys, or key sequence.
To succeed in avoiding
The thief escaped punishment.
To break loose from; get free of
The spacecraft escaped Earth's gravitational field.
To be outside the memory or understanding of; fail to be remembered or understood by
Her name escapes me. The book's significance escaped him.
To issue involuntarily from
A sigh escaped my lips.
The act or an instance of escaping.
A means of escaping.
A means of obtaining temporary freedom from worry, care, or unpleasantness
Television is my escape from worry.
A gradual effusion from an enclosure; a leakage.
(Biology) A cultivated plant or a domesticated or confined animal that has become established in the wild.
(Computers) A key used especially to interrupt a command, exit a program, or change levels within a program.
(intransitive) To get free; to free oneself.
The prisoners escaped by jumping over a wall.
The factory was evacuated after toxic gases escaped from a pipe.
(transitive) To avoid (any unpleasant person or thing); to elude, get away from.
He only got a fine and so escaped going to jail.
The children climbed out of the window to escape the fire.
(intransitive) To avoid capture; to get away with something, avoid punishment.
Luckily, I escaped with only a fine.
(transitive) To elude the observation or notice of; to not be seen or remembered by.
The name of the hotel escapes me at present.
To cause (a single character, or all such characters in a string) to be interpreted literally, instead of with any special meaning it would usually have in the same context, often by prefixing with another character.
When using the "bash" shell, you can escape the ampersand character with a backslash.
Brion escaped the double quote character on Windows by adding a second double quote within the literal.
(computing) To halt a program or command by pressing a key (such as the "Esc" key) or combination of keys.
The act of leaving a dangerous or unpleasant situation.
The prisoners made their escape by digging a tunnel.
Leakage or outflow, as of steam or a liquid, or an electric current through defective insulation.
Something that has escaped; an escapee.
A holiday, viewed as time away from the vicissitudes of life.
(computing) escape key
(programming) The text character represented by 27 (decimal) or 1B (hexadecimal).
You forgot to insert an escape in the datastream.
(snooker) A successful shot from a snooker position.
(manufacturing) A defective product that is allowed to leave a manufacturing facility.
(obsolete) That which escapes attention or restraint; a mistake, oversight, or transgression.
(obsolete) A sally.
(architecture) An apophyge.
To flee from and avoid; to be saved or exempt from; to shun; to obtain security from; as, to escape danger.
To avoid the notice of; to pass unobserved by; to evade; as, the fact escaped our attention.
They escaped the search of the enemy.
To flee, and become secure from danger; - often followed by from or out of.
Haste, for thy life escape, nor look behind
To get clear from danger or evil of any form; to be passed without harm.
Such heretics . . . would have been thought fortunate, if they escaped with life.
To get free from that which confines or holds; - used of persons or things; as, to escape from prison, from arrest, or from slavery; gas escapes from the pipes; electricity escapes from its conductors.
To escape out of these meshes.
The act of fleeing from danger, of evading harm, or of avoiding notice; deliverance from injury or any evil; flight; as, an escape in battle; a narrow escape; also, the means of escape; as, a fire escape.
I would hasten my escape from the windy storm.
That which escapes attention or restraint; a mistake; an oversight; also, transgression.
I should have been more accurate, and corrected all those former escapes.
A sally.
The unlawful permission, by a jailer or other custodian, of a prisoner's departure from custody.
A plant which has escaped from cultivation.
An apophyge.
Leakage or outflow, as of steam or a liquid.
Leakage or loss of currents from the conducting wires, caused by defective insulation.
The act of escaping physically;
He made his escape from the mental hospital
The canary escaped from its cage
His flight was an indication of his guilt
An inclination to retreat from unpleasant realities through diversion or fantasy;
Romantic novels were her escape from the stress of daily life
His alcohol problem was a form of escapism
The unwanted discharge of a fluid from some container;
They tried to stop the escape of gas from the damaged pipe
He had to clean up the leak
A valve in a container in which pressure can build up (as a steam boiler); it opens automatically when the pressure reaches a dangerous level
Nonperformance of something distasteful (as by deceit or trickery) that you are supposed to do;
His evasion of his clear duty was reprehensible
That escape from the consequences is possible but unattractive
An avoidance of danger or difficulty;
That was a narrow escape
A means or way of escaping;
Hard work was his escape from worry
They installed a second hatch as an escape
Their escape route
A plant originally cultivated but now growing wild
Run away from confinement;
The convicted murderer escaped from a high security prison
Fail to experience;
Fortunately, I missed the hurricane
Escape potentially unpleasant consequences; get away with a forbidden action;
She gets away with murder!
I couldn't get out from under these responsibilities
Be incomprehensible to; escape understanding by;
What you are seeing in him eludes me
Issue or leak, as from a small opening;
Gas escaped into the bedroom
Remove oneself from a familiar environment, usually for pleasure or diversion;
We escaped to our summer house for a few days
The president of the company never manages to get away during the summer
Flee; take to one's heels; cut and run;
If you see this man, run!
The burglars escaped before the police showed up
To get away from a place where one has been confined or in danger.
She planned to escape from the locked room by climbing out the window.
To slip away from someone or avoid detection.
The spy was able to escape unnoticed during the night.
To avoid a responsibility or duty.
She tried to escape jury duty by claiming a scheduling conflict.
To be inadvertently released, as in a gas or liquid.
Helium gas managed to escape from the balloon.
To mentally or emotionally remove oneself from a reality.
He used books to escape from everyday life.
To fail to be grasped or remembered by someone.
The details of that day seem to escape his memory.
Escape Snonyms
Evade
To avoid or escape by cleverness or deceit.
He tried to evade the police by changing his appearance.
Flee
To run away from a place or situation of danger.
They had to flee their home due to the flood.
Elude
To escape from or avoid a pursuer or a situation by cunning.
The criminal managed to elude capture for months.
Extricate
To free someone or oneself from a constraint or difficulty.
He managed to extricate himself from the complicated legal situation.
Bolt
To run away suddenly, usually from fear.
The cat bolted out of the room when the dog entered.
Slip away
To leave quietly or unnoticed.
She slipped away from the party without saying goodbye.
Liberate
To set free, especially from imprisonment or oppression.
The soldiers helped to liberate the town from enemy forces.
Break free
To escape from a restraint or confinement.
The horse broke free from its stable during the storm.
Get away
To escape or depart from a place, often when being chased or under threat.
They got away just as the guards noticed them.
Abscond
To leave hurriedly and secretly, typically to avoid detection or arrest.
The treasurer absconded with the club's funds.
Escape Idioms & Phrases
Escape to victory
To win or succeed in a situation that seemed destined for failure.
The team managed to escape to victory in the final minutes.
Escape clause
A provision in a contract that allows a party to withdraw under certain circumstances.
She relied on the escape clause to terminate the agreement.
Escape one's notice
To go unnoticed or unobserved.
The typo escaped the editor's notice.
Narrow escape
Barely avoiding danger or disaster.
It was a narrow escape when they avoided the car accident.
Escape someone's clutches
To avoid being captured or controlled by someone.
She finally escaped her captor's clutches after a daring plan.
Fire escape
A route or means of egress from a building or area, used especially in emergencies.
They rushed to the fire escape when the alarm sounded.
Make good one's escape
To successfully escape from a place.
The fugitive made good his escape through the underground tunnels.
Escape the rat race
To leave a busy, competitive work environment for a simpler lifestyle.
After years in the city, he escaped the rat race and moved to the countryside.
Great Escape
A famous mass escape, particularly from a wartime prison.
The Great Escape from Stalag Luft III is legendary.
Escape one's memory
To be forgotten.
The address escapes my memory now.
Escape plan
A strategy planned in advance to exit a location or situation safely.
The security team regularly updated the building's escape plan.
Mental escape
A form of psychological relief or distraction from reality.
Reading is her mental escape from the stresses of work.
Escape the jaws of death
To narrowly avoid a deadly situation.
He escaped the jaws of death after being rescued from the avalanche.
Clean escape
To get away without any complications or consequences.
The thieves made a clean escape, leaving no evidence behind.
Escape artist
Someone skilled at getting out of difficult situations or escaping from confinement.
Houdini was known as a great escape artist.
Escape route
A planned path or method by which one can leave a place.
They had an escape route planned in case of emergencies.
Escape one's destiny
To avoid what seems like an inevitable outcome.
He tried to escape his destiny, but ended up following in his father's footsteps.
Escape velocity
The speed needed to break free from the gravitational attraction of a celestial body without further propulsion.
The rocket reached escape velocity and left Earth's atmosphere.
Escape hatch
A means of exit that can be used in an emergency.
The submarine was equipped with an escape hatch.
Escape Example Sentences
The magician showed how he could escape from a locked trunk.
She found an escape by immersing herself in painting and art.
He used video games as an escape from his daily routine.
The party was boring, and he looked for an opportunity to escape.
His attempt to escape responsibility didn't go unnoticed.
They planned their escape from the island using a makeshift raft.
The gas leak was a dangerous escape that needed immediate attention.
The pressure valve allows steam to escape when it becomes too high.
During the lecture, she daydreamed as a mental escape.
She could not escape the feeling that something was amiss.
They managed to escape the sinking ship by climbing aboard a lifeboat.
The escape door was blocked, which was a serious safety concern.
To escape the heat, they went to the mountains for the weekend.
He read every book he could find as a means of escape.
Common Curiosities
How many syllables are in escape?
There are two syllables in "escape."
What is a stressed syllable in escape?
The stressed syllable in "escape" is the second syllable, -cape.
How do we divide escape into syllables?
The word "escape" is divided into syllables as es-cape.
What is the root word of escape?
The root word of "escape" is the Latin "cappa," meaning "cape or cloak," referring metaphorically to slipping out of a cloak.
Why is it called escape?
It's called "escape" from the Old French "escaper," which itself derived from the Vulgar Latin "excappare," meaning "to get out of a cape or cloak," thus conveying the idea of slipping out or getting away.
What is the pronunciation of escape?
Escape is pronounced as /ɪˈskeɪp/ or /ɛˈskeɪp/.
What is the third form of escape?
The third form of "escape" is "escaped."
How is escape used in a sentence?
Escape is used as a verb to describe the action of getting away from confinement or an undesirable situation.
What is the first form of escape?
The first form of "escape" is "escape."
Is escape a noun or adjective?
Escape is primarily a verb and a noun, but not an adjective.
What is the verb form of escape?
The verb form is "escape," with the past tense as "escaped" and the gerund as "escaping."
What is the opposite of escape?
The opposite of escape (verb) is "capture" or "confinement."
Is escape a vowel or consonant?
The word "escape" starts with a vowel.
What part of speech is escape?
Escape is a verb, and can also be used as a noun in contexts referring to the act of escaping or a means of escaping.
What is another term for escape?
Another term for escape is "flee."
What is the singular form of escape?
The singular form of the verb "escape" is "escape."
Is escape a negative or positive word?
Escape can have both negative and positive connotations, depending on the context. It can represent relief and freedom or avoidance of responsibility.
Is escape a collective noun?
No, escape is not a collective noun.
What is the plural form of escape?
The plural form of the verb "escape" does not change; it remains "escape."
Which determiner is used with escape?
Determiners used with "escape" (noun) include "an," "the," and possessive forms like "his" escape plan.
Is escape an adverb?
No, escape is not an adverb.
Is escape a countable noun?
As a noun, "escape" can be countable; e.g., "He had a narrow escape."
Is the word escape a Gerund?
The gerund form of "escape" is "escaping."
Which preposition is used with escape?
Common prepositions used with "escape" include "from" (escape from a place) and "to" (escape to safety).
Which conjunction is used with escape?
Common conjunctions used with "escape" include "and" and "but," depending on the sentence structure.
What is the second form of escape?
The second form of "escape" is "escaped."
Is escape an abstract noun?
When used as a noun, escape can be considered abstract as it refers to the concept or act of escaping, rather than a physical object.
Is the escape term a metaphor?
The term "escape" can be used metaphorically to describe getting away from non-physical situations, like escaping reality.
Is the word escape imperative?
Escape can be used in the imperative mood; e.g., "Escape while you can!"
Is the word “escape” a Direct object or an Indirect object?
As a verb, "escape" can take a direct object; e.g., "He escaped the room."
Which vowel is used before escape?
As a noun, "an" is typically used before "escape" due to its initial vowel sound.
Which article is used with escape?
The articles used with "escape" are "an" for singular and indefinite, and "the" for specific or previously mentioned escapes.
Share Your Discovery
Previous Term
Enunciate Definition and Meaning
Next Term
Phase out Definition and MeaningAuthor Spotlight
Written by
Fiza RafiqueFiza Rafique is a skilled content writer at AskDifference.com, where she meticulously refines and enhances written pieces. Drawing from her vast editorial expertise, Fiza ensures clarity, accuracy, and precision in every article. Passionate about language, she continually seeks to elevate the quality of content for readers worldwide.
Edited by
Tayyaba RehmanTayyaba Rehman is a distinguished writer, currently serving as a primary contributor to askdifference.com. As a researcher in semantics and etymology, Tayyaba's passion for the complexity of languages and their distinctions has found a perfect home on the platform. Tayyaba delves into the intricacies of language, distinguishing between commonly confused words and phrases, thereby providing clarity for readers worldwide.
