Dictionary.com
Thesaurus.com

avoidant

British  
/ əˈvɔɪdənt /

adjective

  1. (of behaviour) demonstrating a tendency to avoid intimacy or interaction with others

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

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.

And I’m sorry that your ex’s choice to be avoidant is only making what I imagine to be a painful process that much more excruciating and drawn out.

From MarketWatch • Mar. 9, 2026

Richter’s appeal is amply established, but statistically speaking, few expected the confessed dance avoidant to make it this far.

From Salon • Nov. 4, 2025

For someone who’s avoidant, it can be really scary to slow down enough to really examine your interior life.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 8, 2025

She adds that Richelle's "signs of avoidant attachment could be an underlying therapeutic challenge" which the experts may not qualified to help her with.

From BBC • Oct. 4, 2024

When they said I had avoidant personality disorder, she told them I just hadn’t learned to be comfortable in my own skin.

From "We Are the Ants" by Shaun David Hutchinson

Vocabulary.com logo
by dictionary.com

Look it up. Learn it forever.

Remember "avoidant" for good with VocabTrainer. Expand your vocabulary effortlessly with personalized learning tools that adapt to your goals.

Take me to Vocabulary.com