What context can I use each word in?
Learn when and how to use these words with these examples!
avoid
Example
I always avoid eating spicy food because it upsets my stomach. [avoid: verb]
Example
She decided to avoid going to the party because she didn't want to see her ex-boyfriend. [avoid: gerund or present participle]
shun
Example
The community shunned him after he was caught stealing. [shunned: past tense]
Example
She decided to shun social media because she found it to be a source of negativity. [shun: verb]
Good things to know
Which word is more common?
Avoid is more commonly used than shun in everyday language. Avoid is versatile and covers a wide range of contexts, while shun is less common and tends to be used in more specific situations where there is a strong disapproval or rejection involved.
What’s the difference in the tone of formality between avoid and shun?
While avoid is typically associated with a neutral and informal tone, shun is more intense and carries a stronger negative connotation. Therefore, shun is generally used in more formal or serious contexts.
