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evasive

evasive

34 6.6
Acting quickly to avoid danger or harm
  • adjective
  • /ɪˈveɪsɪv/
translation icon : maniobra evasiva
  • The politician's evasive responses failed to address the pressing questions from the reporters.
  • take evasive action
  • evasive action

But the reason bad news is good is maybe you can take evasive action.

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Examples

  • Close perpetrator contact with celebrities is unlikely to occur because celebrities hire bodyguards or take other evasive actions to make sure fans do not get too close.

    Academic text (2006)
  • The driver had to take evasive action to avoid a collision with the oncoming truck.

  • But the reason bad news is good is maybe you can take evasive action.

  • The driver took evasive action to avoid the animal and went into the grass median.

    Blog text (18)
  • Several horses had to take evasive action, jumping or avoiding the rail.

    Blog text (9)
  • If you don't mind, I'm going to take evasive action.

  • The Black Hawk began evasive action, but the Scorpion was too fast, heavily armed, and hard to find.

  • They're taking evasive action.

    Fiction book (1994)
  • In order to escape the pursuit, the athlete made evasive moves that confused his opponents.

Antonyms

906 1.0

Has courage when facing danger, pain or fear

Showing anger and wanting to argue with others

Compounds

A quick move to avoid danger

2 8.2

A reply that does not clearly admit or deny an accusation

How Hard

unattainable
18 6.3
elusive
43 7.0
evasive
34 6.6
slippery
64 6.1
fleeting
66 6.3

Surface Forms

evasive positive
evasiver comparative
evasivest superlative

Morphology

evasive = evade (transparent) = evade + ive

Productive adjectival formation from 'evade'; the notion of avoiding or escaping difficulty/danger is directly derived.

Etymology

Evasive comes from an old Latin verb made of e- 'out' and vadere 'to go', like the English word evade or 'escape'. So an evasive action is a quick move to 'escape' danger or a problem.