avert
Americanverb (used with object)
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averts,
present (3rd person singular)
-
averted,
past participle, past
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averting
present participle
-
to turn away or aside.
to avert one's eyes.
-
to ward off; prevent.
to avert evil;
to avert an accident.
verb
-
to turn away or aside
to avert one's gaze
-
to ward off; prevent from occurring
to avert danger
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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avertsimple
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avertssimple
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have avertedperfect
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has avertedperfect
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am avertingprogressive
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are avertingprogressive
-
is avertingprogressive
-
have been avertingperfect progressive
-
has been avertingperfect progressive
Past
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avertedsimple
-
had avertedperfect
-
was avertingprogressive
-
were avertingprogressive
-
had been avertingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of avert
First recorded in 1400–50; late Middle English, from Middle French avertir, ultimately derived from Latin āvertere, equivalent to ā- a- 4 + vertere “to turn”
Explanation
To avert is to turn away or to prevent. You might avert your gaze or avert a disaster — either way, you are avoiding something. The verb avert comes from Latin roots that mean "to turn away from." Averting has that sense of deflecting, turning away, or preventing something (usually bad) from happening. You might put salt on an icy sidewalk to avert accidents, or you might avert a toddler's meltdown by supplying a lollipop.
Vocabulary lists containing avert
Of Mice and Men
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Essential Academic Vocabulary for Middle School Students, List 2
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"Of Mice and Men"
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
Unless something changes to avert U.S. sanctions, it could be their last.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 29, 2026
Thankfully, the same capacity for collaboration that assisted our species’ development throughout history could now avert this catastrophe.
From Science Daily ● Oct. 17, 2026
But, much like a car accident on the 405 that you instinctively know you shouldn’t stare, I just can’t seem to avert my eyes from the wreck the Chargers have become.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 10, 2026
The Times reports on the agreement by G7 countries to release 100 million barrels of "emergency stockpiles of fuel and avert a US export ban".
From BBC ● Oct. 3, 2026
He began to glow, and I knew enough about the gods to avert my eyes before he revealed his true divine form.
From "The Sea of Monsters" by Rick Riordan
But for now, there’s a plan that averts shutdown impacts at the IRS.
From MarketWatch ● Feb. 2, 2026
The deal is good because it averts an outcome that has become common: the conversion of a great studio into a diminished version of itself after being absorbed by a traditional rival.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Dec. 8, 2025
The deal averts a trial that had been scheduled for this summer over allegations that became a #MeToo cause for Kesha’s supporters and came to involve a lineup of music industry luminaries.
From Seattle Times ● Jun. 22, 2023
President Biden is scheduled to deliver a rare Oval Office address on Friday evening after congressional passage of legislation that narrowly averts the economic calamity of a first-ever default on the nation’s debt.
From New York Times ● Jun. 2, 2023
He averts his eyes, but tightens his grip around my back.
From "Love, Hate & Other Filters" by Samira Ahmed
Tinubu has said the reforms averted an even greater crisis as the subsidy grew fiscally unsustainable.
From Barron's ● Oct. 8, 2026
That has led to higher prices for jet fuel, just a few months after global airlines, U.S. carriers included, averted a major fuel crisis that had threatened their all-important summer travel season.
From MarketWatch ● Sep. 22, 2026
Whether the higher automotive tariffs can be averted is unclear.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 24, 2026
Although financial collapse was averted, the troubles that contributed to the receivership were exacerbated over the years by leadership instability — with 11 appointed leaders over an 11-year span.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 9, 2026
I averted my eyes so I wouldn’t be rude in my staring.
From "From Twinkle, with Love" by Sandhya Menon
WASHINGTON—The Supreme Court on Monday blocked the Trump administration from imposing new requirements for mail ballots, averting what state and local officials warned would have been a crisis in the midterm elections.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 14, 2026
In May, Meta, Snap, TikTok and YouTube reached confidential settlements with a Kentucky school district, averting another landmark trial in the northern California city of Oakland.
From Barron's ● Jul. 22, 2026
Sullenberger's quick thinking and calm demeanour were credited with averting disaster.
From BBC ● Jul. 14, 2026
On the NYSE, new 52-week highs outpaced new lows and numbered more than 100 again, so this buy signal is still in place — narrowly averting being stopped out.
From MarketWatch ● Jun. 26, 2026
“Happy Birthday, boy,” Bull said, averting his eyes from Ben’s.
From "The Great Santini" by Pat Conroy
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Get a wordDefinitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
