obviate

American  

[ob-vee-eyt] / ˈɒb viˌeɪt /

verb (used with object)

obviated, obviating

1. to anticipate and prevent or eliminate (difficulties, disadvantages, etc.) by effective measures; render unnecessary.

   to obviate the risk of serious injury.

   Synonyms:

   anticipate, avert, preclude

---

obviate British  

/ ˈɒbvɪˌeɪt /

verb

1. (tr) to avoid or prevent (a need or difficulty)

---

Usage

Only things that have not yet occurred can be obviated. For example, one can obviate a possible future difficulty, but not one that already exists

Other Word Forms

• obviable adjective
• obviation noun
• obviator noun
• preobviate verb (used with object)
• unobviable adjective
• unobviated adjective

Etymology

Origin of obviate

1590–1600; from Latin obviātus, past participle of obviāre “to act contrary to,” derivative of obvius; obvious, -ate ¹

Example Sentences

As Bessent should understand, the violation of one logical condition can obviate the logic of another—what a logician might call an “antecedent condition.”

From Barron's • Jan. 22, 2026

Strategy already set aside a $1.4 billion reserve for dividend and interest payments over the next two years to obviate the need to sell bitcoins in the near future.

From MarketWatch • Dec. 4, 2025

Railway lines, trucks, plastic products, electronic communication—all have tended both to obviate the need for manual dexterity and to chip away at people’s pride in self-sufficiency.

From The Wall Street Journal • Nov. 14, 2025

“Yes, the virus is worse, but that doesn’t obviate doing research to make sure that there may be other options.”

From New York Times • May 3, 2024

“Some would contend that this confession would obviate the need for a lengthy trial,” she said in a cold, heartless voice that made Finn miss the real Ms. Morales.

From "The Strangers" by Margaret Peterson Haddix

Related Words

• counteract
• forestall
• preclude