averted

[ uh-vur-tid ]

adjective

1. turned away or aside:

   The angle of the head, the averted eyes, and the position of the mouth all serve to give up our secrets because they so easily reveal our feelings.

2. warded off; prevented:

   An averted foreign-policy disaster is often invisible, so the officers responsible often miss out on professional recognition.

verb

1. the simple past tense and past participle of avert ( def ).

Other Words From

• a·vert·ed·ly adverb
• un·a·vert·ed adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of averted¹

avert ( def ) + -ed ²( def )

Example Sentences

VACCINES: The rapid development of COVID-19 vaccines, which averted about 1.1 million U.S. deaths and more than 10.3 million hospitalizations within a year of their introduction in December 2020, was one of the few genuine achievements of the first Trump term.

From Los Angeles Times

“I did go on social media, but I’ve averted a doomscroll.”

From Los Angeles Times

Researchers found that because the screening programme stopped TB circulating so widely in the city, in the following five years an estimated 4,599 cases were averted, saving countless lives.

From BBC

Finn Brennan, from Aslef, said the union was "pleased" strike action had been averted at this time.

From BBC

Can wider war between Iran and Israel still be averted?

From Los Angeles Times