avert

[uh-vurt]

See more synonyms for avert on Thesaurus.com

verb (used with object)

to turn away or aside: to avert one's eyes.
to ward off; prevent: to avert evil; to avert an accident.

Origin of avert

1400–50; late Middle English < Middle French avertir ≪ Latin āvertere, equivalent to ā- a-⁴ + vertere to turn

Related formsa·vert·ed·ly, adverba·vert·er, nouna·vert·i·ble, a·vert·a·ble, adjectiveun·a·vert·ed, adjective

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018

Examples from the Web for averted

Contemporary Examples

Thus, a strike was averted and we have had a Met season this year--albeit a super weird one.
Inside the Metropolitan Opera’s Insane Year
Shawn E. Milnes
November 23, 2014
It was ham-handed and poorly done, and it all could have been averted.
Life After ‘SVU’: Christopher Meloni on ‘They Came Together,’ Stabler, and His Famous Behind
Marlow Stern
June 21, 2014
We also averted potential really catastrophic problems with critical infrastructure.
How Sabu the Hacker Rat Manipulated a Good-Hearted Judge
Michael Daly
May 28, 2014
“Through his cooperation, we averted untold millions of dollars in loss to victims,” Assistant U.S. Attorney James Pastore said.
How Sabu the Hacker Rat Manipulated a Good-Hearted Judge
Michael Daly
May 28, 2014
A problem that could have been averted at a relatively small cost wound up causing accidents that killed 13 people.
G.M. Becomes Government Motors Again
Daniel Gross
May 17, 2014

Historical Examples

Philæmon averted his face for a moment, and struggled hard with his feelings.
Philothea
Lydia Maria Child
Had Mrs. Bines been above talking to low people, a catastrophe might have been averted.
The Spenders
Harry Leon Wilson
She averted her head, plucking at the strands of the hammock.
The Fortune Hunter
Louis Joseph Vance
"You must not worry yourself about this," he said to Roden, with averted eyes.
Roden's Corner
Henry Seton Merriman
She hated the place, and yet she seldom hurried by it or averted her eyes.
Alice Adams
Booth Tarkington

British Dictionary definitions for averted

avert

verb (tr)

to turn away or asideto avert one's gaze
to ward off; prevent from occurringto avert danger

Derived Formsavertible or avertable, adjective

Word Origin

C15: from Old French avertir, from Latin āvertere; see averse

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

Word Origin and History for averted

avert

v.

c.1400, from Old French avertir (12c.), "turn, direct; avert; make aware," from Vulgar Latin *advertire, from Latin avertere "to turn away, to drive away," from ab- "from, away" (see ab-) + vertere "to turn" (see versus). Related: Averted; averting.

avert

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Examples from the Web for averted

Contemporary Examples

Thus, a strike was averted and we have had a Met season this year--albeit a super weird one.

It was ham-handed and poorly done, and it all could have been averted.

We also averted potential really catastrophic problems with critical infrastructure.

“Through his cooperation, we averted untold millions of dollars in loss to victims,” Assistant U.S. Attorney James Pastore said.

A problem that could have been averted at a relatively small cost wound up causing accidents that killed 13 people.

Historical Examples

Philæmon averted his face for a moment, and struggled hard with his feelings.

Had Mrs. Bines been above talking to low people, a catastrophe might have been averted.

She averted her head, plucking at the strands of the hammock.

"You must not worry yourself about this," he said to Roden, with averted eyes.

She hated the place, and yet she seldom hurried by it or averted her eyes.

avert

Word Origin

Word Origin and History for averted

avert

v.

Origin of avert