shun

verb

ˈshən 

shunned; shunning

transitive verb

: to avoid deliberately and especially habitually

shuns publicity

shunner noun

Synonyms

• avoid
• dodge
• duck
• elude
• escape
• eschew
• evade
• finesse
• get around
• scape
• shake
• shirk
• shuffle (out of)
• weasel (out of)

Choose the Right Synonym for shun

escape, avoid, evade, elude, shun, eschew mean to get away or keep away from something.

escape stresses the fact of getting away or being passed by not necessarily through effort or by conscious intent.

nothing escapes her sharp eyes

avoid stresses forethought and caution in keeping clear of danger or difficulty.

try to avoid past errors

evade implies adroitness, ingenuity, or lack of scruple in escaping or avoiding.

evaded the question by changing the subject

elude implies a slippery or baffling quality in the person or thing that escapes.

what she sees in him eludes me

shun often implies an avoiding as a matter of habitual practice or policy and may imply repugnance or abhorrence.

you have shunned your responsibilities

eschew implies an avoiding or abstaining from as unwise or distasteful.

a playwright who eschews melodrama

Examples of shun in a Sentence

He shuns parties and social events.

After his divorce he found himself being shunned by many of his former friends.

Recent Examples on the Web

While the rest of the globe frantically fetishized growth targets, Bhutan shunned opportunities to monetize its considerable natural resources—including lumber, coal, and minerals—that would have come at the expense of the environment. —By Charlie Campbell/gelephu, Bhutan, TIME, 16 Jan. 2025

The film starred John Hurt as Joseph (John) Merrick, an English man with severe physical deformities who was largely shunned by society, and Anthony Hopkins as Frederick Treves, a doctor who befriended Merrick. —Wesley Stenzel, EW.com, 16 Jan. 2025

The socially conservative legislature—which also shuns casino gambling—has voted it down year after year. —John Burnett, NPR, 13 Jan. 2025

The two men, tucked safely back into private life, shunned the event, as did all the county commissioners. —Miami Herald Archives, Miami Herald, 8 Jan. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Middle English shonen, shunnen, from Old English scunian

First Known Use

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

shun

verb

ˈshən 

shunned; shunning

: to avoid purposely or by habit

shunned her former friends

shunner noun