Avert Meaning: Definition, Examples, and Translations

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avert

[əˈvɜːrt ]

Definitions

^{Context #1 | Verb}

prevent

To turn away or aside. To ward off; prevent from happening. To prevent from taking place; avert: a disaster.

Synonyms

avoid, deter, forestall, prevent.

Which Synonym Should You Choose?

Word	Description / Examples
avert	Used when you want to stop something bad from happening by turning away or diverting it. Often used in formal contexts. The mayor's quick actions helped avert a financial disaster She tried to avert her gaze from his accusing eyes
prevent	Commonword used to describe stopping something from happening. Can be used in both formal and informal contexts. Vaccinations can prevent many diseases The security measures are designed to prevent theft
avoid	Commonly used in everyday situations to describe keeping away from something or someone. Neutral connotation. He tries to avoid eating junk food She avoided discussing the controversial topic
deter	Typically used to indicate discouraging someone from doing something through fear of consequences or difficulties. Can have a negative connotation depending on context. High fines are meant to deter people from parking illegally The threat of punishment did not deter him from his plans
forestall	Used in more formal or literary contexts to mean preventing something by taking action ahead of time. To forestall a crisis, the government implemented new policies He forestalled her questions by explaining everything in advance

Examples of usage

The pilot averted a disaster by safely landing the plane.
She averted her gaze from the disturbing scene.

^{Context #2 | Verb}

avert one's eyes

To look away or turn one's gaze from something unpleasant or embarrassing.

Synonyms

avert one's gaze, look away, turn aside.

Which Synonym Should You Choose?

Word	Description / Examples
avert	Use when you want to prevent something bad from happening. The quick action of the firefighters helped to avert a major disaster He tried to avert suspicion by acting calmly
look away	Use when you simply turn your eyes away from something, often used in situations where you do not want to see or deal with something. He couldn't look away from the horrifying accident Many people look away when they see someone in distress
turn aside	Use when changing direction slightly, often when walking or moving, or metaphorically when changing the topic in conversation. As she walked down the street, she turned aside to avoid a large puddle He turned aside the question, not wanting to delve into personal matters
avert one's gaze	Use when you want to describe intentionally looking away from something, often out of embarrassment or to avoid seeing something unpleasant. She averted her gaze when she saw the couple arguing He averted his gaze to avoid seeing the gruesome scene

Examples of usage

She averted her eyes when the couple started arguing in public.
He averted his eyes from the graphic images on the news.

Translations

To see the translation, please select a language from the options available.

Origin of 'avert'

The word 'avert' originated from the Latin word 'avertēre', which means 'to turn away'. Over time, it evolved in Middle English to 'averten' and eventually to 'avert' in modern English. The concept of averting something has been present in various languages and cultures as a way to prevent or avoid undesirable outcomes.

Word Frequency Rank

At position #12,890, this word is part of sophisticated English vocabulary. It's useful for academic or professional contexts where precise language is needed.

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