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

Some participants in the talks have said that the disagreements could lead to lawsuits, but that they hope to avoid a legal battle with an uncertain outcome.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

"I got out to avoid the vile process," says Nick, 63, who was a primary school teacher and head teacher in Derbyshire.

Read more on BBC

He said his Gabonese lawyer would also not attend the hearing to avoid "justifying... a legal farce".

Read more on Barron's

She warned against being so focused on avoiding 1970s-style inflation that the Fed chokes off a potential productivity boom similar to the 1990s.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Skittish travelers started saying they plan to avoid airports this holiday season.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

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