Definition of avoid - Reverso English Dictionary
Verb
1.
general avoidancekeep away from or stop oneself from doing
- She managed to avoid the topic during dinner..
2.
dodgechange direction to not hit something
- The car avoided the fallen tree on the road.
3.
legal annulmentTECH. invalidate a contract or agreementTECH.
- The court avoided the contract due to fraud.
Expressions with avoid
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do everything possible to prevent
They avoided at all costs a confrontation with the authorities.
deliberately ignore provocative messages to prevent disruption
She decided to avoid feeding the trolls during the debate.
stay away from something or someone intensely
He avoids junk food like the plague.
stay out of public attention or fame
She prefers to avoid the limelight and work behind the scenes.
evade being the center of attention
He tries to avoid the spotlight at social gatherings.
keep from entering, or stop from starting, a quarrel
I tried to keep the meeting calm and avoid an argument.
actively prevent being labeled in a narrow or simple category
She tries to avoid pigeonholing in her career choices.
act to prevent being assigned a fixed role or character
Actors often avoid typecasting by choosing diverse roles.
keep from dealing with a particular problem or subject directly
Politicians often avoid the issue by changing the subject.
Origin of avoid
Latin, evitare (shun) + ab (from)
Terms with avoid included in their meaning
💡 A powerful way to uncover related words, idioms, and expressions linked by the same idea — and explore meaning beyond exact word matches.
cautious
exercising caution to avoid mistakes or harm
caution
pay attention to avoid danger or mistakes
safety
with care to avoid harm or mistakes
avoidance
move quickly to avoid being hit
self-concealment
go somewhere to avoid being seen
avoid action
deciding to avoid doing something
privacy
cover one's face to avoid being seen
physical
maintain stability to avoid falling
conserve
avoid wasting something
places
avoid going into a place or area
caution
be careful to avoid hitting your head
literal
move carefully to avoid obstacles
danger caution
stay alert and careful to avoid danger or harm
manner
done in a thoughtful way to avoid harm or problems
suggestion
used to suggest that you and others avoid doing something
physical movement
move quickly to avoid something
avoidance
avoid capture or punishment
learning
pattern of behavior to imitate or avoid
can't help
cannot avoid or stop
covertly
in a hidden way to avoid being seen
move stealthily
move quietly and secretly to avoid detection
care needed
requiring care to avoid mishaps
speak cautiously
speak thoughtfully to avoid hurting or upsetting others
timing
arrive or act early to avoid crowds or waiting
Examples of avoid in a sentence
They decided to avoid the busy streets. She quickly avoided the cyclist on the path. The pilot avoided the flock of birds mid-flight. They sought to avoid the agreement due to misrepresentation. The lawyer argued to avoid the settlement.
View all translations of avoid
Click below to see the appropriate translations facing each meaning.
- French:éviter, contourner, ...
- German:vermeiden, umfahren, ...
- Italian:evitare, scansare, ...
- Spanish:evitar, esquivar, ...
- Portuguese:evitar, desviar-se, ...
- Chinese:避免, 避开, ...
- Japanese:避ける, かわす, ...
- Arabic:تَجَنَّبَ, تَفَادَى, ...
- Hebrew:לְהִימָּנַע, לְהִתְחַמֵּק, ...
- Russian:избегать, избежать, ...
- Ukrainian:уникати, об'їхати, ...
- Hindi:बचना, बचाकर निकलना, ...
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