eschews

Eschews is the third-person singular present tense of the verb eschew. It means to deliberately avoid or abstain from something, often on principled grounds. The sense implies intentional rejection rather than mere dislike, and it can apply to actions, practices, or objects.

In usage, eschew tends to appear in formal or literary contexts. It is commonly followed by a noun phrase or by an -ing form, for example: "The organization eschews proprietary software" or "She eschews meat." It can also take a direct object: "He eschews violence." The term is often paired with contrasts such as embracing or adopting alternatives.

Etymology traces eschew to Middle English eschewen or eschewe, from Old French eschewer, meaning to avoid or reject. The word has retained a slightly archaic or elevated tone in modern English.

See also: avoid, shun, abstain, renounce, forgo. These terms cover related notions of deliberately steering away from things one chooses not to engage with.