evade justice

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "evade justice" is correct and is commonly used in written English.
It is usually used to describe someone or something that is deliberately avoiding punishment or legal repercussion. For example, "The thief managed to evade justice by changing his identity and fleeing the country."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

59 human-written examples

"He did not evade justice.

The New York Times

He does not comprehend, and also fines him additionally for trying to evade justice.

The New Yorker

A sense that the rich and powerful evade justice is pervasive.

The Economist

If Spector does evade justice it will be a poor payoff to audiences.

Independent

Faced with DNA evidence, Beth's father was unable to evade justice.

The Guardian - Lifestyle

No matter how hard they try to evade justice they will not succeed".

The Guardian

"Fujimori is acting like a delinquent trying to evade justice," Mr. Olivera said.

The New York Times

The appearances won him little public sympathy, with critics saying that the case exemplified how Pakistan's rich frequently evade justice.

The New York Times

The warrant has accelerated the process of extradition and made it harder for border-hopping criminals to evade justice.

The Economist

It was these deposit boxes, private investigators told the Guardian, which allowed him to evade justice for so long.

The Guardian

Speed and efficiency are desirable, but not as a pretext that destroys existing courts and allows terrorists to evade justice.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Pair this phrase with adverbs like "indefinitely", "successfully" or "temporarily" to provide more detail about the duration or outcome of the avoidance.

Common error

While you can "avoid" a mistake or a meeting, "evade" implies a more active and often illicit pursuit. Do not use "avoid justice" if you want to emphasize the subject's effort to hide or escape from an active legal pursuit; "evade" is much more descriptive in a criminal context.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "evade justice" functions as a transitive verb phrase. According to Ludwig AI, it is used to describe a subject deliberately avoiding legal retribution or the judicial process.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

85%

Wiki

8%

Formal & Business

7%

Less common in

Science

0%

Academic

0%

Social Media

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In conclusion, "evade justice" is a highly effective and grammatically correct phrase for describing the act of dodging legal accountability. Ludwig AI confirms its widespread use across the most reputable news organizations globally. Whether used in a crime report or a political commentary, the phrase carries a strong sense of intentionality and illicit avoidance. While it is closely related to alternatives like "<a href="/s/escape+justice" target="_blank" rel="alternative">escape justice", it remains the preferred choice when the emphasis is on the deceptive or active nature of the avoidance. Use it confidently in professional, neutral, or formal writing to characterize the bypass of the legal system.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

escape justice

Commonly used as a direct synonym, often implying a successful avoidance of punishment

elude the law

Focuses more on the physical act of hiding or staying ahead of law enforcement authorities

dodge prosecution

Specifically refers to avoiding the formal legal process of being charged with a crime

avoid legal consequences

A broader, slightly more descriptive alternative that covers any form of legal fallout

skirt justice

Implies barely avoiding legal trouble, often through borderline or questionable means

circumvent the law

Suggests finding clever loopholes or technicalities to avoid being punished by the legal system

abscond from the law

A more formal term often used when someone flees while on bail or under investigation

flee from punishment

Focuses on the physical flight or escape from a specific penalty or sentence

shun accountability

Emphasizes the moral or ethical failure to take responsibility for one's actions

bypass the legal system

Suggests a systemic avoidance of standard judicial procedures

FAQs

How to use "evade justice" in a sentence?

A typical example would be: "The suspect managed to "evade justice" for several years by living under a false identity in another country."

What can I say instead of "evade justice"?

You can use alternatives like "<a href="/s/escape+justice" target="_blank" rel="alternative">escape justice", "<a href="/s/elude+the+law" target="_blank" rel="alternative">elude the law", or "<a href="/s/dodge+prosecution" target="_blank" rel="alternative">dodge prosecution" depending on the context.

Is "evade justice" a formal phrase?

Yes, it is considered neutral to formal and is the standard terminology used in legal reporting and news media, as seen in sources like <a href="/s/The+New+York+Times" target="_blank" rel="alternative">The New York Times.

Does "evade justice" always mean fleeing the country?

No, while it often involves physical flight, it can also refer to using procedural delays, destroying evidence, or using political connections to prevent the legal system from functioning.