avoid

[uh-void]

verb (used with object)

1. to keep away from; keep clear of; shun.

   to avoid a person;

   to avoid taxes;

   to avoid danger.

   Synonyms: dodge, elude, evade
   Antonyms: encounter, face, confront

2. to prevent from happening.

   to avoid falling.

3. Law.,  to make void or of no effect; invalidate.

4. Obsolete.,  to empty; eject or expel.

avoid

/ əˈvɔɪd /

verb

1. to keep out of the way of

2. to refrain from doing

3. to prevent from happening

   to avoid damage to machinery

4. law to make (a plea, contract, etc) void; invalidate; quash

5. obsolete,  to expel

6. obsolete,  to depart from

Other Word Forms

• avoidable adjective
• avoidably adverb
• avoider noun
• nonavoidable adjective
• nonavoidableness noun
• nonavoidably adverb
• unavoiding adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of avoid¹

First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English avoiden, from Anglo-French avoider, equivalent to a- ⁴ ( def. ) + void ( def. )

Word History and Origins

Origin of avoid¹

C14: from Anglo-French avoider, from Old French esvuidier, from vuidier to empty, _void

Synonym Study

Avoid, escape mean to come through a potentially harmful or unpleasant experience, without suffering serious consequences. To avoid is to succeed in keeping away from something dangerous or undesirable: to avoid meeting an enemy. Escape suggests encountering peril but coming through it safely: to escape drowning.

Example Sentences

The Justices no doubt appreciate this and the need to tread cautiously to avoid breaking the internet or the incentives to create original content.

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Anduril said it has since developed a mitigation plan for impact and intercept testing at the range to mitigate or avoid any fires in the future.

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"We shouldn't be using the resources and money of these social media platforms to try to avoid fines from our government," he said.

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"The only way to avoid danger is to prepare for it," President Emmanuel Macron said while announcing the plan at an infantry base near Grenoble in south-east France.

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Describing his current financial situation as “not great,” Spacey said that he did manage to avoid filing for bankruptcy, although he conceded that it had been “discussed” as an option.

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Related Words

• avert 
• bypass 
• dodge 
• escape 
• evade 
• fend off www.thesaurus.com
• shun 
• sidestep