eschewer

An eschewer is a person who eschews something, meaning they deliberately avoid or abstain from it. The term is formed from the verb eschew, which means to shun, avoid, or abstain. Eschew originates in Middle English escheuen, likely from Old French eschever, and the noun eschewer appears in English usage from the early modern period. The word is somewhat formal or literary and is more common in descriptive writing than in everyday conversation.

Eschewers may abstain from various practices, such as meat, alcohol, tobacco, or digital technologies, or they may avoid certain social or moral practices. The noun is used to describe a person who adopts avoidance or renunciation as a principle or personal habit. In literature and philosophy, eschewers are often portrayed as ascetics, reformers, or contrarians.

Common synonyms include abstainer, avoider, renouncer, and ascetic, though each carries its own nuance. The verb eschew is more widely used; eschewer is most often found in formal or rhetorical contexts. Example: “She was an eschewer of processed foods, preferring fresh, whole ingredients.”

See also: eschew, abstinence, avoidance, renunciation, asceticism.