averted

American  

[uh-vur-tid] / əˈvɜr tɪd /

adjective

1. 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.

2. warded off; prevented.

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

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verb

1. the simple past tense and past participle of avert.

Other Word Forms

• avertedly adverb
• unaverted adjective

Etymology

Origin of averted

avert ( def. ) + -ed ² ( def. )

Example Sentences

Los Angeles school officials announced on Sunday morning that a tentative agreement has been reached with the teachers union — making it possible that a planned Tuesday strike could be averted.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 12, 2026

Even if that tragedy was averted, the triumphant rescue underlined the risk American forces still face in Iran.

From BBC • Apr. 6, 2026

As with last spring’s trade war, the Barclays research team, headed up by Ajay Rajadhyaksha, believes the worst-case scenario is likely to be averted.

From MarketWatch • Mar. 26, 2026

While an environmental disaster from the jet fuel spillage was averted, the coastguard undertook a clean-up operation after discovering clumps of plastic pellets, or nurdles, in the sea and washed ashore.

From Barron's • Jan. 12, 2026

Cora averted her eyes and made her face into slate for him, as she had ever since his proposal.

From "The Underground Railroad: A Novel" by Colson Whitehead