The New York Times | May 12, 2010
"Victory continues to elude peace negotiators in Middle East talks"
Allude vs. Elude
The '30 Seconds' Difference At A Glance
To allude means to refer to something indirectly, while to elude means to escape or avoid something.
The author alluded to Shakespeare in her novel, but the meaning eluded many readers.
A Deeper Look
Allude is about hinting at something without actually saying it directly. Think of it as dropping hints or making references that people need to pick up on. You might allude to something when you don't want to mention it outright.
She kept alluding to my surprise party without actually mentioning it.
The film alludes to classic horror movies throughout its opening scene.
Elude is used in two ways: when something or someone escapes or avoids capture, or when you just can't quite get or understand something.
The answer eluded me during the quiz - I knew it but couldn't remember it!
The fox managed to elude the hunters by hiding in the bushes.
Common Usage Patterns
Allude
allude to, briefly allude, indirectly allude, repeatedly allude, alluding to
Elude
continue to elude, completely elude, successfully elude, elude capture, elude detection
Key Patterns
'Allude' is almost always followed by 'to'. 'Elude' typically takes a direct object without 'to'.
What Teachers Say
"In literature analysis, students constantly use 'allude' when discussing references between texts. It's a crucial word for describing how authors reference other works without naming them directly."
-- Karen, Boston
"The word 'elude' appears frequently in academic writing when discussing research challenges - we talk about how certain answers or solutions elude researchers."
-- Martin, Edinburgh
"When teaching these words, I focus on their different prepositions - you allude to something, but something eludes you. This pattern helps students use them correctly."
-- Alice, Toronto
From The Headlines
The Guardian | March 24, 2018
"CEO alluded to potential merger in annual shareholder meeting"
Los Angeles Times | October 5, 2023
"Dangerous suspect manages to elude police in downtown chase"
Test Yourself!
1. The speaker briefly _______ to his previous work experience.
2. The true meaning of the poem continues to _______ scholars.
3. In her speech, she subtly _______ to past failures while noting that success had _______ the company for years.
