Avoid: meaning, definitions and examples

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avoid

[ əˈvɔɪd ]

^{Context #1}

in everyday life

To keep away from; to prevent from happening. To refrain from doing something.

Synonyms

circumvent, dodge, evade, miss, shun

Examples of usage

She tried to avoid eye contact with him.
He always avoids conflict in the workplace.
Avoid eating too much sugar if you want to stay healthy.
You should avoid driving when you are tired.
The teacher advised the students to avoid plagiarism in their essays.

^{Context #2}

in formal situations

A way of keeping away from or preventing from happening. A means of evading or escaping.

Synonyms

avoidance, elusion, escape, evasion

Examples of usage

The best avoid for conflict is open communication.
His clever avoid of the question saved him from embarrassment.

Translations

Translations of the word "avoid" in other languages:

🇵🇹 evitar

fugir de
esquivar

🇮🇳 बचना (bachna)

🇩🇪 vermeiden

🇮🇩 menghindari

🇺🇦 уникати

🇵🇱 unikać

🇯🇵 避ける (sakeru)

🇫🇷 éviter

🇪🇸 evitar

🇹🇷 kaçınmak

🇰🇷 피하다 (pihada)

🇸🇦 تجنب (tajannub)

🇨🇿 vyhnout se

🇸🇰 vyhnúť sa

🇨🇳 避免 (bìmiǎn)

🇸🇮 izogibati se

🇮🇸 forðast

🇰🇿 аулақ болу

🇬🇪 თავიდან აცილება (tavidan acileba)

🇦🇿 qaçınmaq

🇲🇽 evitar

Word origin

The word 'avoid' originated from the Old French word 'esvuidier', which means 'to empty out'. Over time, it evolved to the Middle English 'avoiden', with the sense of 'to make empty, clear out, or get rid of'. The modern usage of 'avoid' as we know it today, in the sense of keeping away from or preventing something from happening, emerged in the 16th century. The word has been consistently used in the English language to convey the idea of steering clear of certain actions or situations.