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

Derived Forms

• aˈvoidably, adverb
• aˈvoidable, adjective
• aˈvoider, noun

Other Words From

• a·voida·ble adjective
• a·voida·bly adverb
• a·voider noun
• nona·voida·ble adjective
• nona·voida·ble·ness noun
• nona·voida·bly adverb
• una·voiding 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 executive wondered whether his employer could prevent him from taking the trip, or if he’d have to avoid returning to the office afterward.

From Fortune

I then made a line of small piles of ricotta stuffing, before folding over the pasta and squeezing out air pockets to avoid the raviolis bursting in the boiling water.

From Fortune

Because of coronavirus fears, many people have switched to using credit cards and mobile payments to avoid handling money.

From Fortune

The state has released about 10,000 inmates early to avoid crowding because of the pandemic, and another 8,000 could be released by August.

From Fortune

For example, it can allow households to avoid home foreclosure, evictions and car repossession.

From No Straight News

There are reasons that European countries tend to avoid fluoride.

From The Daily Beast

It is also important to avoid using the pope as part of a marketing strategy.

From The Daily Beast

We try to avoid going away for too long, so we can check back in.

From The Daily Beast

Such statements are rare, as the Guards routinely avoid going public with news about the demise of one of their commanders.

From The Daily Beast

The pilot asked air-traffic control for permission to climb from 32,000 to 38,000 feet to avoid the bad weather.

From The Daily Beast

He had not estimated that if Jean Baptiste sought his wife secretly, it must have been because he wished to avoid him.

From Project Gutenberg

But I always suspected it was a stratagem on his part to avoid playing, and that nothing really ailed him.

From Project Gutenberg

But it was my only chance then; or rather I had seen enough of business to avoid making mistakes when I could.

From Project Gutenberg

She stopped, and turned to face him, an incredible shyness seeming to cause her to avoid his gaze.

From Project Gutenberg

He ought not to be in London now—it is stifling—went up for some business meeting or other—seemed to wish to avoid details.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• avert
• bypass
• dodge
• escape
• evade
• fend off
• shun
• sidestep
• ward off