evasive

E1V4A1S1I1V4E1
/ɪˈveɪsɪv/

adjective

Tending to avoid speaking openly or making revelations about oneself.

“evasive response”

Similar
elusiveslipperyshiftycageyelusoryslynoncommittalunclear
OriginFrench évasif ← Latin ēvādō →
Less commonScrabble 13
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Meanings

adjectiveevasive (comparative more evasive, superlative most evasive)

comparative more evasive · superlative most evasive

  1. Tending to avoid speaking openly or making revelations about oneself.

    evasive response

    1 more example

    evasive behaviour

  2. Directed towards avoidance or escape

    evasive manoeuvre

    1 more example

    take evasive action

Synonyms & antonyms

Similar
elusiveslipperyshiftycageyelusoryslynoncommittalunclearvagueequivocalambiguoustrickydeceitfuldevious

adjectivedeliberately vague or ambiguous

Similar
equivocalambiguous

adjectiveavoiding or escaping from difficulty or danger especially enemy fire

Similar
protective
Also see
ambiguouscageyelusoryequivocalprotectivesneaky

Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.

Origin

  1. Latinēvādō
  2. Frenchévasif
  3. Englishevasive

From French évasif, from Latin ēvādō.

More words from French, Latin

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Basque iheskor
  • iheskorDirected towards avoidance or escape; evasive action
Bulgarian укло́нчив
  • укло́нчив (uklónčiv)Tending to avoid speaking openly or making revelations about oneself
Catalan evasiu, evasiu
  • evasiuTending to avoid speaking openly or making revelations about oneself
  • evasiuDirected towards avoidance or escape; evasive action
Chinese Mandarin 迴避 /回避, 閃爍其詞 /闪烁其词
  • 迴避 /回避 (huíbì)Tending to avoid speaking openly or making revelations about oneself
  • 閃爍其詞 /闪烁其词 (shǎnshuòqící)Tending to avoid speaking openly or making revelations about oneself
  • 含糊其辭 /含糊其辞 (hánhú qí cí)Tending to avoid speaking openly or making revelations about oneself
  • 顧左右而言他 /顾左右而言他 (gù zuǒyòu ér yán tā)Tending to avoid speaking openly or making revelations about oneself
Czech vyhýbavý
  • vyhýbavýTending to avoid speaking openly or making revelations about oneself
Esperanto evitema
  • evitemaTending to avoid speaking openly or making revelations about oneself
Finnish välttelevä, kiertelevä
  • vältteleväTending to avoid speaking openly or making revelations about oneself
  • kierteleväTending to avoid speaking openly or making revelations about oneself
  • väistö-Directed towards avoidance or escape; evasive action
French évasif
  • évasifTending to avoid speaking openly or making revelations about oneself
German vorsichtig, zugeknöpft
  • vorsichtigTending to avoid speaking openly or making revelations about oneself
  • zugeknöpftTending to avoid speaking openly or making revelations about oneself
  • glatt wie ein Aal seinTending to avoid speaking openly or making revelations about oneself
  • ausweichendDirected towards avoidance or escape; evasive action
Latin ēvāsīvus
  • ēvāsīvusDirected towards avoidance or escape; evasive action
Māori whakaperori, whakaperori
  • whakaperoriTending to avoid speaking openly or making revelations about oneself
  • whakaperoriDirected towards avoidance or escape; evasive action
  • whakatītahaDirected towards avoidance or escape; evasive action
Norwegian lukket, innesluttet
  • lukketTending to avoid speaking openly or making revelations about oneself
  • innesluttetTending to avoid speaking openly or making revelations about oneself
  • unnvikendeDirected towards avoidance or escape; evasive action
Portuguese esquivo
  • esquivoDirected towards avoidance or escape; evasive action
Russian укло́нчивый, уклоня́ющийся
  • укло́нчивый (uklónčivyj)Tending to avoid speaking openly or making revelations about oneself
  • уклоня́ющийся (uklonjájuščijsja)Directed towards avoidance or escape; evasive action
Spanish evasivo
  • evasivoDirected towards avoidance or escape; evasive action
Cite this entry
APA

evasive. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/evasive

MLA

“evasive.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/evasive. Accessed November 3, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “evasive,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/evasive.

Source: evasive on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.