elude
gb/ɪlˈud/ us/ɪlˈud/
C1
English
kijátszik, észrevétlen marad, elkerüli a figyelmet, kifog valakin, nem jut eszébe, megúszik, elkerül
VERB
C1
1
kijátszik
B2
Usage pattern:
elude [someone/something] (e.g., police, capture, arrest)
The suspect eluded police for three days before being arrested.
A gyanúsított három napig kijátszotta a rendőrséget, mielőtt letartóztatták.
The rabbit eluded the dog by darting into the bushes.
A nyúl úgy játszotta ki a kutyát, hogy berohant a bokrok közé.
She eluded the security guard and slipped into the backstage area.
Learner examples
The thief eluded the police.
A tolvaj kijátszotta a rendőrséget.
The cat eluded the dog.
A macska kijátszotta a kutyát.
Common mistake:
Learners often confuse elude (escape being caught) with avoid (choose not to do) or allude (mention indirectly).
Meaning
escape being caught or found
Collocations
elude capture
|elude the police
|elude arrest
|elude authorities
|elude pursuers
|elude security
|elude a guard
|elude a manhunt
|elude a search
|elude a predator
Synonyms
evade (Often suggests deliberate action to avoid being caught or questioned.)
|
escape (More general; focuses on getting away, not necessarily by skill or speed.)
|
slip away (More informal and often implies leaving quietly.)
Antonyms
be caught (Opposite outcome: being captured or stopped.)
|
be apprehended (Formal word often used for being caught by police.)
Themes
crime_law
|news
|safety
Definition
to escape from someone who is trying to catch you
To manage to avoid being caught, found, or reached by someone who is trying to catch or stop you.
VERB
C1
2
Usage pattern:
elude [detection/notice/observation]
The virus can elude detection in its early stages.
A vírus a korai szakaszában észrevétlen maradhat.
Small errors sometimes elude notice until the final review.
Az apró hibák néha elkerülik a figyelmet egészen a végső ellenőrzésig.
The aircraft flew low to elude radar.
Learner examples
The mistake eluded notice.
A hiba elkerülte a figyelmet.
The problem eluded detection.
A probléma észrevétlen maradt.
Common mistake:
Don’t use elude for ordinary avoidance (e.g., 'elude homework'); it usually implies hiding from detection or being hard to find.
Meaning
avoid being noticed or detected
Collocations
elude detection
|elude notice
|elude observation
|elude radar
|elude identification
|elude diagnosis
|elude measurement
|elude surveillance
|elude recognition
|elude tracking
Synonyms
go unnoticed (Focuses on not being seen or paid attention to.)
|
escape detection (Close in meaning; common in technical or crime contexts.)
|
remain hidden (Emphasizes being concealed rather than the act of avoiding detection.)
Antonyms
be detected (Opposite: being discovered by a person or system.)
|
be noticed (Opposite: being seen or observed.)
Themes
science
|technology
|crime_law
|health
Definition
to not be found or noticed
To avoid being seen, noticed, discovered, or detected.
VERB
C1
3
Usage pattern:
[something] eludes [someone]
The reason for his sudden departure still eludes me.
Még mindig nem értem, miért ment el hirtelen.
A simple solution has eluded the engineers for months.
A mérnökök hónapok óta nem találnak egyszerű megoldást.
Her name eluded him, even though he recognized her face.
Learner examples
The answer eludes me.
A válasz kifog rajtam.
A solution eluded us.
A megoldás kifogott rajtunk.
Common mistake:
The subject is usually the thing that is hard to understand (e.g., 'The reason eludes me'), not the person.
Meaning
be hard to understand or remember
Collocations
the meaning eludes me
|the answer eludes me
|the reason eludes me
|success eludes him
|sleep eludes her
|a name eludes me
|an explanation eludes us
|the concept eludes them
|the truth eludes investigators
|a solution eludes the team
Synonyms
baffle (Stronger; suggests confusion and inability to make sense of something.)
|
escape (Often used similarly (e.g., 'the name escapes me') but more informal and less precise.)
|
stump (More informal; often used for questions or puzzles.)
Antonyms
be clear (Opposite: easy to understand.)
|
be understood (Opposite: successfully grasped mentally.)
Themes
education
|thinking
|communication
Definition
to be something someone cannot understand or remember
If something eludes someone, they cannot understand it, remember it, or succeed in achieving it, even though they try.
VERB
C1
FORMAL
4
Usage pattern:
elude [danger/death/punishment/responsibility]
He narrowly eluded serious injury in the crash.
Épphogy megúszta a súlyos sérülést a balesetben.
For years the company eluded accountability for its actions.
A cég évekig megúszta, hogy felelősségre vonják a tetteiért.
The hikers eluded the worst of the storm by reaching shelter early.
Learner examples
He eluded punishment.
Megúszta a büntetést.
They eluded danger.
Megúszták a veszélyt.
Common mistake:
Elude is less common than avoid in everyday situations; it often implies a narrow escape or something difficult to avoid.
Meaning
avoid an unpleasant fate
Collocations
elude death
|elude punishment
|elude responsibility
|elude prosecution
|elude consequences
|elude a fine
|elude defeat
|elude danger
|elude accountability
|elude bankruptcy
Synonyms
avoid (More general and common; does not always imply difficulty.)
|
escape (Often implies a narrow or lucky avoidance of harm.)
|
dodge (More informal; emphasizes quick or clever avoidance.)
Antonyms
face (Opposite: confront or experience the consequence.)
|
suffer (Opposite: experience the negative result.)
Themes
risk
|crime_law
|health
|daily_life
Definition
to avoid something bad that might happen
To manage to avoid a danger, punishment, or other unpleasant result that seems likely or expected.
Grammar
Dictionary form
elude
IPA
GB/ɪlˈud/
US/ɪlˈud/
Syllables & stress
elude (1 syllable)
Word forms
Verb
- Base: elude
- 3rd Person Singular: eludes
- Present Participle: eluding
- Past: eluded
Word family
Forms
eludes
verb
eluding
verb
eluded
verb
Core family
elusive
adjective B2
Related words
elusively
adverb
elusiveness
noun
Advanced or less common
elusion
noun
Expressions
[something] eludes me
1/sˈʌmθɪŋ ɪlˈudz mˈi/
fixed phrase
I can’t understand or remember
I can’t understand it or remember it
Examples
- Why she agreed to it still eludes me.
- The exact date eludes me, but it was in late spring.
- How this feature works completely eludes me.
Learner examples
- The meaning eludes me.
- The answer eludes me.
elude [someone's] grasp
1/ɪlˈud sˈʌmwˌʌnz ɡɹˈæsp/
idiom
remain out of reach
to stay out of someone’s reach or understanding
Examples
- For many families, home ownership continues to elude their grasp.
- A full understanding of the poem eluded her grasp.
elude capture
1/ɪlˈud kˈæpt͡ʃɚ/
fixed phrase
avoid being caught
to not get caught
Examples
- The suspect managed to elude capture despite a large search operation.
- For weeks, the gang eluded capture by moving between cities.
Learner examples
- He eluded capture.
elude detection
1/ɪlˈud dɪtˈɛkʃən/
fixed phrase
avoid being detected
to not be found by tests or checks
Examples
- The counterfeit bills were good enough to elude detection at first.
- Some diseases can elude detection for years.
Learner examples
- The error eluded detection.
elude justice
1/ɪlˈud d͡ʒˈʌstɪs/
fixed phrase
formal
avoid punishment by law
to avoid legal punishment
Examples
- The fraudster eluded justice for years by using false identities.
- Investigators reopened the case so the killer would not elude justice.