averted

[ uh-vur-tid ]

/ əˈvɜr tɪd /

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See synonyms for averted on Thesaurus.com

adjective

turned away or aside: The angle of the head, the averted eyes, and the position of the mouth all serve to give up our secrets because they so easily reveal our feelings.

warded off; prevented: An averted foreign-policy disaster is often invisible, so the officers responsible often miss out on professional recognition.

verb

the simple past tense and past participle of avert.

QUIZ

THINGAMABOB OR THINGUMMY: CAN YOU DISTINGUISH BETWEEN THE US AND UK TERMS IN THIS QUIZ?

Do you know the difference between everyday US and UK terminology? Test yourself with this quiz on words that differ across the Atlantic.

Question 1 of 7

In the UK, COTTON CANDY is more commonly known as…

candystring

candyfloss

candypuff

TAKE THE QUIZ TO FIND OUT

Origin of averted

avert + -ed²

OTHER WORDS FROM averted

a·vert·ed·ly, adverbun·a·vert·ed, adjective

Words nearby averted

aversion, aversion therapy, aversive, aversive conditioning, avert, averted, Avertin, Avery, Aves, Avesta, Avestan

How to use averted in a sentence

The most pressing matter is the government spending bill—something that is needed by December 11 in order to avert a federal government shutdown.
Stimulus update: McConnell and Schumer discuss averting a shutdown and economic aid|Lance Lambert|November 20, 2020|Fortune
To avert catastrophic levels of warming, we have to make “far-reaching and unprecedented changes in all aspects of society,” according to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change.
Why we should be funding more Solyndras|Amy Nordrum|November 19, 2020|MIT Technology Review
The wearing of masks and the social distancing and doing things that some of these other countries have done, like closing down bars…would make a huge difference and would in fact avert the necessity of a strict lockdown.
These countries managed to turn COVID-19 around. Here’s how we could do the same.|Kate Baggaley|November 17, 2020|Popular-Science
With industrywide coordination, thousands of DNS providers around the world installed a fix that averted this doomsday scenario.
DNS cache poisoning, the Internet attack from 2008, is back from the dead|Dan Goodin|November 12, 2020|Ars Technica

The current president has largely ignored the findings and recommendations of scientists, while his opponent’s stated climate plan is generally in line with the changes we know we need to avert climate catastrophe.
This election could decide the climate’s future|Ula Chrobak|October 29, 2020|Popular-Science
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|DAILY BEAST
Eyes averted, Stittsworth asked if there was anything Doc Brinkley could do for…“you know… sexual weakness?”
The Strange, True Tale of the Old-Timey Goat Testicle-Implanting 'Governor'|Penny Lane|September 16, 2014|DAILY BEAST
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|DAILY BEAST
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|DAILY BEAST
“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|DAILY BEAST
The Dowager looked sharply at the girl; but Valerie's face continued averted, her gaze resting on the fire.
St. Martin's Summer|Rafael Sabatini
There was therefore one way, and one alone, by which the great woe which seemed to be coming on Europe could be averted.
The History of England from the Accession of James II.|Thomas Babington Macaulay
Kari averted his gaze because elephants are always irritated by the ostentatious bustle of a rhinoceros.
Kari the Elephant|Dhan Gopal Mukerji
She looked at me, and her lower lip trembled a little, her eyes suddenly averted from mine.
Valley of the Croen|Lee Tarbell
Except Julian and Lillyston there is hardly a man I respect, who does not look at me with averted eyes.
Julian Home|Dean Frederic W. Farrar