escapist

[ ih-skey-pist ]

noun

1. a person who avoids reality by becoming absorbed in entertainment or fantasy:

   I, for one, am an escapist, so pondering whether an anime series is "looking out into the world" isn't something I concern myself with.

2. a person who tries or manages to get out of captivity; an escape artist or escapee:

   In 1864, the celebrated prison escapist Hamilton tunneled his way to freedom with 60 other captured Union officers.

adjective

1. avoiding reality through entertainment or fantasy, or enabling people to do so:

   His childhood taste for cowboy adventures and escapist films like Tarzan gave way to an admiration for realist European directors.

Word History and Origins

Origin of escapist¹

escap(e) ( def ) + -ist ( def )

Example Sentences

But just because characters suddenly belt out lyrics doesn’t mean their stories are all escapist entertainment.

From Los Angeles Times

The sunbaked Los Angeles of “Skincare” is not the glowing, golden fantasy that we often seen on screen, an impossibly beautiful escapist fantasy.

From Los Angeles Times

Every summer needs an escapist disaster movie, and it’s been a minute since we’ve had a good one.

From Los Angeles Times

The escapist anthem features plenty of Welch’s rich vocals, to the relief of fans who have criticized the singer for quick features by past collaborators, notably Lana Del Rey in “Snow on the Beach.”

From Los Angeles Times

So why does this production feel so sweet and escapist?

From New York Times