averted

American  

[uh-vur-tid] / əˈvɜr tɪd /

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.

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verb

1. the simple past tense and past participle of avert.

Other Word Forms

• avertedly adverb
• unaverted adjective

Etymology

Origin of averted

avert ( def. ) + -ed ² ( def. )

Example Sentences

Los Angeles school officials announced on Sunday morning that a tentative agreement has been reached with the teachers union — making it possible that a planned Tuesday strike could be averted.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 12, 2026

As with last spring’s trade war, the Barclays research team, headed up by Ajay Rajadhyaksha, believes the worst-case scenario is likely to be averted.

From MarketWatch • Mar. 26, 2026

While an environmental disaster from the jet fuel spillage was averted, the coastguard undertook a clean-up operation after discovering clumps of plastic pellets, or nurdles, in the sea and washed ashore.

From Barron's • Jan. 12, 2026

This year the EU threatened 50% tariffs on American whiskey, though that was eventually averted, which was good news for Kentuckians.

From The Wall Street Journal • Dec. 26, 2025

As with the spy Penkovsky before him, the information Gordievsky passed to his handlers, experts believe, may well have defused a global crisis and averted nuclear war.

From "Spies: The Secret Showdown Between America and Russia" by Marc Favreau