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When should I use "alluded" and when should I use "eluded"?
Alluded and eluded are both action verbs with different meanings. They're easy to confuse because of the emphasis on the last syllable.
Allude means to refer to something indirectly, to hint, or to talk around a subject. e.g. He alluded to the fact that he was not the marrying kind.
Elude means to get away from a pursuer or to be hard to grasp. e.g. She eluded his embrace by dancing farther away.
Test your knowledge in the quiz below!
Examples of alluded in a sentence
She spoke to him civilly, and never alluded to what he had done.- Sons and Lovers by D. H. Lawrence; Victoria Blake
Now, whatis this incredible thing you alluded to over thetelephone, Mr. Parnell?”“Quite- The Aquitaine Progression by Robert Ludlum
Examples of eluded in a sentence
Magg had eluded them, and the fruitless pursuit had left them worn and haggard.- The High King by Lloyd Alexander
Unfortunately, the peace she sought eluded her.- Time of the Twins by Margaret Weis; Tracy Hickman
Hope for a better life had eluded her years ago.- The Kiss by Danielle Steel
She had obviously eluded him somehow, or left him at the hotel.- The Kiss by Danielle Steel
Test yourself
Choose the missing word in each question.
