échappatoire

loophole, escape route

noun eh-sha-pah-TWAR Rare

Origin: From échapper (to escape).

Usage Note

Échappatoire refers to a way out of a difficult or awkward situation, often implying a clever or slightly dishonest means of avoidance. It is commonly used in legal, political, and everyday contexts: chercher une échappatoire means 'to look for a way out'. The related verb s'échapper means 'to escape' or 'to slip away'.

Examples

"Il cherche toujours une échappatoire."

Natural Translation

He is always looking for a loophole.

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