avoid

Meaning

1. (transitive) To try not to meet or communicate with (a person); to shun.
2. (transitive) To stay out of the way of (something harmful).
3. (transitive) To keep away from; to keep clear of; to stay away from.
4. (transitive) To try not to do something or to have something happen.
5. (obsolete, transitive) To make empty; to clear.
6. (transitive) To make void, to annul; to refute (especially a contract).
7. (transitive) To defeat or evade; to invalidate.
8. (obsolete, transitive) To emit or throw out; to void.
9. (obsolete, transitive) To leave, evacuate; to leave as empty, to withdraw or come away from.
10. (obsolete, transitive) To get rid of.
11. (intransitive, obsolete) To retire; to withdraw, depart, go away.
12. (intransitive, obsolete) To become void or vacant.

Synonyms

evade

shun

dodge

elude

escape

shirk

eschew

keep away from

avert

refrain

sidestep

run away

circumvent

abstain from

miss

duck

🦆

parry

annul

neglect

steer clear of

refrain from

stay away

omit

keep off

shrink from

alienate

hold back

keep clear of

give up

beware

go around

forbear

flee

slight

reject

disregard

obviate

prevent

distance oneself from

not want

get away from

cease

ward off

escape from

fend off

abstain

prevaricate

debar

equivocate

stop

🛑

Translations

éviter

evitar

evitare

vermeiden

vermijden

evitar

meiden

ausweichen

ontwijken

umgehen

αποφεύγω

mijden

evitar

rehuir

Pronounced as (IPA)

/əˈvɔɪd/

Etymology

Inherited from Middle English: avoiden

In summary

From Middle English avoiden, from Anglo-Norman avoider, Old French esvuidier (“to empty out”), from es- + vuidier, from Vulgar Latin *vocitāre < Vulgar Latin *vocitum, ultimately related to Latin vacuus. Displaced native Old English forbūgan (literally “to bend away from”).

Sentences

This can avoid the above situation .

The boy mumbled an answer that allowed him to avoid responding to her question .

Klass did this to avoid damaging good working relations with the Germans .