Allude or Elude?
What Is the Difference between "Allude" and "Elude"?
The Quick Answer
Allude
(verb) "to refer to indirectly"- Did the boss allude to the pending merger?
Elude
(verb) "to avoid" or "to evade"- We must elude the cannibals by the river.
- The CEO will allude to your contribution during her speech.
- You must elude the dogs to have a chance of escaping.
Allude
"To allude" means "to refer to indirectly." The verbs "to allude" and "to mention" are close in meaning, but "to allude" is less direct. It can be translated as "to hint at" or "to offer an indication about."Here are some examples of "allude" in sentences:
- This Chinese saying alludes to nature's power: "A spark can start a fire that burns the entire prairie." (The saying does not mention nature's power, but it offers a clue about nature's power. The saying alludes to nature's power.)
- "Forewarned is forearmed" alludes to the importance of being in control. (It offers an indication about the importance of being in control.)
- The judge did not mention his previous crimes specifically, but he alluded to them in his summary. (The judge hinted at previous crimes.)
Elude
"To elude" means "to avoid," "to evade," or "to escape from."Here are some examples of "elude" in sentences:
- Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid try to elude capture. (They try to avoid capture.)
- If you want something, it will elude you. If you do not want something, you will get ten of it in the mail. (Author Anna Quindlen)
- Peter Beardsley used to allude defenders with his trademark foot shuffle. (He used to avoid defenders. This should be "elude defenders.")
Learning Resources
play:
Tetris (easily confused words) confidence game (easily confused words)lists:
common writing errors most misspelled words in Englishmore actions:
download the test below as .doc
send the test below as homework
Test Time!
This test is printable and sendable