Avoid Avoided əˈvɔɪd Avoiding I Problems Narrowly Extra

• to avoid conflict/confrontation
• we must find a way to avoid similar problems in future.
• they narrowly avoided defeat.
• the name was changed to avoid confusion with another firm.

avoid

Verb Forms

1. to prevent something bad from happening
• to avoid conflict/confrontation
• We must find a way to avoid similar problems in future.
• They narrowly avoided defeat.
• The name was changed to avoid confusion with another firm.
• The accident could have been avoided.
• Efforts are being made to avoid war at all costs.
• They built a wall to avoid soil being washed away.

Extra Examples

• It is sometimes impossible to avoid conflict altogether.
• They are anxious to avoid any further misunderstandings.
• Most of these problems could have been easily avoided.
• The authorities are eager to avoid bad publicity.
2. to keep away from somebody/something; to try not to do something
• He's been avoiding me all week.
• She kept avoiding my eyes (= avoided looking at me).
• By staying at home he manages to avoid all contact with strangers.
• Certain foods should be avoided during pregnancy.
• I left early to avoid the rush hour.
• He tried to avoid paying his taxes and was taken to court.

Extra Examples

• I've been avoiding getting down to work all day.
• You should avoid mentioning his divorce.
• The two men carefully avoided one another.
• I scrupulously avoid artificial additives when I buy food.
• He was careful to avoid any sentimentality in his speech.
• She pointedly avoided looking at him when she spoke.
• Getting involved in a court case is something to be avoided at all costs.
• He deftly avoided answering the question.
• He failed in his attempt to avoid having to pay.
3. to prevent yourself from hitting something
• The car swerved to avoid a cat.

Extra Examples

• He braked hard and narrowly avoided a parked van.
• They ducked to avoid a low branch.
4. to try very hard not to meet somebody, do something, etc.
• She's been avoiding me like the plague since the party last Saturday.
• I hate office parties—I avoid them like the plague.
5. to do/avoid doing something that is a mistake but that seems at first to be a good idea
• Parents often fall into the trap of trying to do everything for their children.
• The movie avoids the trap of spending too much time explaining things.

Word Origin

• late Middle English: from Old French evuider ‘clear out, get rid of’, from vuide ‘empty’, related to Latin vacare ‘vacate’.