avast

American

[uh-vast, uh-vahst] / əˈvæst, əˈvɑst /

verb

Nautical.

(used as a command to stop or cease).

Avast heaving!

avast British

/ əˈvɑːst /

nautical stop! cease!

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of avast

1675–85; perhaps < Dutch houd vast hold fast ( see hold ¹, fast ¹)

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.

Gen Digital, 6.8 times earnings, is a mash-up of Avast and NortonLifeLock, players in home cybersecurity.

From Barron's • Apr. 10, 2026

In 2017, the company entered the VPN space and released Avast Secureline VPN.

From Salon • Mar. 21, 2026

While Avast may have done a great job with Mimic, there’s no way to know; you just have to take them at their word that they did everything right.

From Salon • Mar. 21, 2026

Bottom line: Avast uses well-established, open-source, industry-standard ciphers, which provide excellent security.

From Salon • Mar. 21, 2026

"Avast there, you lubber——" commenced Cocky, but Sa'-zada stopped him.

From The Sa'-Zada Tales by Fraser, William Alexander

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023