shunning 1 of 2

noun

as in escape
the act or a means of getting or keeping away from something undesirable this shunning of your financial responsibilities cannot continue indefinitely

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shunning

2 of 2

verb

present participle of shun
as in avoiding
to get or keep away from (as a responsibility) through cleverness or trickery just a ruse to shun the debt collectors

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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of shunning
Noun
Siegmund had pushed for an absolute majority in the state legislature that would allow AfD to sidestep mainstream parties' shunning of it. — ABC News, 7 Sep. 2026 Their shunning of the Spanish coronation, however, felt uniquely unappealing, a show of disrespect to the winners of the most high-profile sporting event in the world. — Adam Crafton, New York Times, 20 July 2026 The concept, in its original form, described a tendency on the political left to react to minor ideological or linguistic offenses by demanding firings or social shunning, demands often reinforced by outraged social-media mobs. — Jonathan Chait, The Atlantic, 30 Dec. 2025 In 1977, a measles epidemic that killed two children in Los Angeles County spurred a dramatic crackdown on vaccine-shunning across the country. — Arthur Allen, Miami Herald, 28 Oct. 2025
Verb
Jim also pushed back against investors solely shunning Starbucks and other consumer stocks over concerns about higher interest rates. — Alexa Lomonaco, CNBC, 12 Oct. 2026 The mares are now shunning poor Valentine, which Puckett hopes is only temporary. — Mark Price, Charlotte Observer, 15 Sep. 2026 As bridge construction and congestion swamp Greater Cincinnati, some travelers are shunning spans over the river and taking a more nautical commute. — Jennie Key, Cincinnati Enquirer, 11 Sep. 2026 Siegmund had pushed for an absolute majority in the state legislature that would allow AfD to sidestep mainstream parties’ shunning of it. — Geir Moulson, Fortune, 8 Sep. 2026 Holmes invited documentarians to capture the Theranos founder’s last few days of freedom before going to prison (and eventually befriending Jen Shah/shunning Ghislaine Maxwell). — Bethy Squires, Vulture, 7 Sep. 2026 There’s striker Josie Gordon, bickering twin sisters Siobhan and Niamh, glove-shunning goalie Katie ‘Boots’ Quinn and couple Maddie and Margy. — Hannah Abraham, Forbes.com, 12 Aug. 2026 Tankers are shunning the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, threatening a lifeline for Saudi Arabia’s crude exports during the Strait of Hormuz’s closure; Asian refiners are eyeing the one-month-longer trip through the Suez Canal. — Brendan Ruberry, semafor.com, 22 July 2026 But instead of rejoicing with them, others are shunning them. — Judith Martin, Mercury News, 13 July 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for shunning
  1. escape
  2. avoiding
  3. avoidance
  4. evading
  5. evasion
  6. escaping
Noun
  • These circumstances, too, create a perception of the world as unpredictable and may lead people to seek escape via alcohol or other drugs.
    — Maia Szalavitz, Scientific American, 20 Oct. 2026
  • There’s relief in his escape but the path has left him feeling scorned, too.
    — Olivier Lafontant, Pitchfork, 19 Oct. 2026
Definition of escape
Verb
  • In these situations, withdrawing into a literal or symbolic dark room—avoiding sources of stress and going to a safe place—can be adaptive in the short term.
    — Maia Szalavitz, Scientific American, 20 Oct. 2026
  • Preserve local input while avoiding a patchwork of regulations, ensuring communities are protected and industry provides sufficient justification and incentives.
    — Fort Worth Star-Telegram, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 18 Oct. 2026
Definition of avoiding
Noun
  • The company’s ev1 resembles a power wheelchair but operates like an autonomous vehicle, with 360-degree sensors that provide proactive collision avoidance and smart driving capabilities.
    — Matt Alderton, Time, 15 Oct. 2026
  • An estate planning attorney can speak about protecting a family’s future without guaranteeing probate avoidance or asset protection.
    — Matthew Nigro, Forbes.com, 13 Oct. 2026
Definition of avoidance
Verb
  • The new Marvel series will see the hero grapple with his identity and humanity while evading a bounty hunter and reuniting with his son.
    — Tracy Brown, Los Angeles Times, 14 Oct. 2026
  • The suspects were booked into the Fort Worth City Jail and face charges of burglary of a building, evading arrest or detention, and criminal mischief, according to police records.
    — Harriet Ramos, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 14 Oct. 2026
Definition of evading
Noun
  • The flags couldn’t be redder, and Khoshnoudi nimbly sketches out the circuitous emotional paths S takes to avoid seeing them until such evasion suddenly and brutally becomes impossible.
    — Sara Holdren, Vulture, 14 Oct. 2026
  • Fan largely disappeared from Chinese screens after a 2018 tax evasion case.
    — Lin Ying-Hsuan, Variety, 9 Oct. 2026
Definition of evasion
Verb
  • As the comet rotates, fresh ice enters the sunlight and sublimates; the escaping gas then drags entrained dust particles away from the nucleus.
    — Joe Rao, Space.com, 13 Oct. 2026
  • What better way to pass the hours than by escaping into a good book?
    — Hannah Jackson, Vogue, 13 Oct. 2026
Definition of escaping

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Cite this Entry

“Shunning.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/shunning. Accessed 21 Oct. 2026.

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