es·cap·ism
i-ˈskā-ˌpi-zəm
: habitual diversion of the mind to purely imaginative activity or entertainment as an escape from reality or routine
The movie is pure escapism.
es·cap·ist
-pə̇st
plural -s
: one that escapes
specifically
: one guilty of or given to escapism
the … idyllic ecstasy of a romantic primitivist or escapist —Douglas Bush
he has been called an escapist, a perennial tenant of the ivory tower, a man who writes about life while taking great pains to remain aloof from it —W. M. Kunstler
a daydreamer, an escapist, a lover of peace —William Saroyan
: befitting an escapist or escapism
escapist visions
escapist literature
Cite this Entry
“Escapism.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/escapism. Accessed 14 Oct. 2026.
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