言い逃れ

• Reading: いいのがれ
• Romaji: iinogare
• Kanji breakdown: 言 (gen/i) — say, word; 逃 (tou/noga) — escape, flee, evade
• Pronunciation: /iː.no̞.ɡa.ɾe/

Meaning

Evasion; excuse-making; prevarication; alibi. Talking one's way out of responsibility through clever or dishonest speech.

A noun describing the act of making excuses or dodging accountability through strategic speech. While 言い訳 (excuse) can be neutral or sincere, 言い逃れ carries a negative connotation of deliberately evading responsibility. Often used for politicians, those caught in wrongdoing, or anyone who tries to wriggle free verbally rather than accept consequences. The verb form is 言い逃れる.

Examples

1. どんな言い逃れをしても、証拠の前では通用しない。 No amount of evasion holds up against evidence.
2. 彼は巧みな言い逃れで批判をかわし続けた。 He kept deflecting criticism with clever excuses.
3. 失敗を言い逃れしようとする彼の態度が、チームの信頼を損なった。 His habit of wriggling out of failures verbally eroded the team's trust in him.

Usage Guide

Context: accountability, politics, conflict, workplace

Tone: critical, negative

Origin & History

言い (to say, verbal action) + 逃れ (escape, evasion — from 逃れる 'to escape/evade'). The combination literally means 'escaping through words.'

Cultural Context

Era: Modern

Generation: Adult

Social background: General