avert
Americanverb (used with object)
-
to turn away or aside.
to avert one's eyes.
-
to ward off; prevent.
to avert evil;
to avert an accident.
verb
-
to turn away or aside
to avert one's gaze
-
to ward off; prevent from occurring
to avert danger
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Conjugated Forms
Present
-
has avertedperfect 3rd person singular
-
have avertedperfect
-
has been avertingperfect progressive 3rd person singular
-
are avertingprogressive
-
have been avertingperfect progressive
-
is avertingprogressive 3rd person singular
-
am avertingprogressive 1st person singular
-
avertssingular 3rd person
-
avertingparticiple
Past
-
had avertedperfect
-
was avertingprogressive singular
-
were avertingprogressive plural
-
avertedparticiple
-
had been avertingperfect progressive
-
avertedsimple
Future
Etymology
Origin of avert
First recorded in 1400–50; late Middle English, from Middle French avertir, ultimately derived from Latin āvertere, equivalent to ā- a- 4 + vertere “to turn”
Explanation
To avert is to turn away or to prevent. You might avert your gaze or avert a disaster — either way, you are avoiding something. The verb avert comes from Latin roots that mean "to turn away from." Averting has that sense of deflecting, turning away, or preventing something (usually bad) from happening. You might put salt on an icy sidewalk to avert accidents, or you might avert a toddler's meltdown by supplying a lollipop.
Vocabulary lists containing avert
Of Mice and Men
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
Essential Academic Vocabulary for Middle School Students, List 2
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
"Of Mice and Men"
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
The move by TotalEnergies has so far helped avert mass protests, as surging profits make it a target for a windfall tax.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 9, 2026
Konate returned early from compassionate leave to help Liverpool avert an injury crisis at the end of January but the centre-back conceded that things were never quite right.
From BBC • Jun. 3, 2026
Carlos Fernández de Cossío, Cuba’s deputy foreign minister, said that while the country hopes to avert conflict, it is hardening its defenses.
From Los Angeles Times • May 22, 2026
News that Samsung Electronics has managed to avert a strike by labor unions sparked another speculative frenzy on the South Korean stock market on Thursday.
From MarketWatch • May 21, 2026
“On the morrow. In a moon’s turn. In a year. And it may be that if you act, you may avert what I have seen entirely.”
From "A Dance with Dragons" by George R. R. Martin
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
