steer clear of

Idioms

Stay away from, avoid, as in Dad warned us to steer clear of Dr. Smith and his poor advice. This idiom alludes to guiding a vessel away from some obstacle. Its figurative use was first recorded in 1723.

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.

It would seem reasonable to steer clear of these winners.

From Barron's • May 18, 2026

Whether the above is enough for you to steer clear of NordVPN, I’ll leave up to you.

From Salon • Mar. 27, 2026

It advises parents to steer clear of fast-paced videos and use screens together where possible.

From BBC • Mar. 26, 2026

I also largely steer clear of sugary drinks and processed meats like bacon and sausage.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 20, 2026

I’m careful to steer clear of whatever mystery shrouds his past.

From "Warcross" by Marie Lu

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