shun

verb

ˈshən 

shunned; shunning

transitive verb

: to avoid deliberately and especially habitually

shuns publicity

shunner noun

Synonyms of shun

• avoid
• evade
• escape

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

Its leaders have been working to rebuild relations with Arab and Western countries that had shunned Syria under former President Bashar Assad, who was ousted in December 2024 by rebels, who then installed a new government. —Abby Sewell, Los Angeles Times, 1 May 2026

Horses from Japan have to travel more than 6,000 miles and undergo quarantine to compete in the Derby, which is enough to make many handicappers shun them. —Peter Keating, New York Times, 1 May 2026

Its leaders have been working to rebuild relations with Arab and Western countries that had shunned Syria under former President Bashar Assad, who was ousted in December 2024 by rebels, who then installed a new government. —ABC News, 30 Apr. 2026

Audiences shunning the movie — which was released across more than 1,000 theaters in the US — is a reminder that art is tricky, even as the kingdom pours billions into building a film industry. —Mohammed Sergie, semafor.com, 29 Apr. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Middle English shonen, shunnen, from Old English scunian

First Known Use

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for shun

• bun
• done
• dun
• fun
• gun
• hun
• jun
• none
• nun
• one
• pun
• run

Kids Definition

shun

verb

ˈshən 

shunned; shunning

: to avoid purposely or by habit

shunned her former friends

shunner noun