Avoid Definition and Meaning
By Maham Liaqat & Fiza Rafique — Published on August 31, 2025
Avoid means to keep away from or stop oneself from doing something. e.g., She always tries to avoid the topic of politics at family gatherings.
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Avoid Definitions
To keep oneself from being in a situation.
He avoided going to the party to not meet his ex-girlfriend.
To deliberately steer clear of someone or something.
She avoided the busy streets to reach her destination faster.
To evade or escape from something.
The rabbit avoided the fox by quickly hiding under the bush.
To sidestep or dodge a direct question or topic.
He skillfully avoided the question about his future plans at the interview.
To protect oneself from harm or inconvenience.
Wearing sunscreen helps to avoid sunburn.
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To stay clear of; go around or away from
Swerve to avoid a pothole.
To take measures so as not to meet or see (someone)
"He never let go of the idea that she lived out there in order to avoid him" (Elizabeth Benedict).
To prevent from happening
You can avoid illness with exercise and a balanced diet.
To refrain from using, engaging in, or partaking of
Avoid red meat.
Avoid risky behavior.
To refrain from (doing something)
It was all we could do to avoid laughing at the remark.
(Law) To annul or make void; invalidate.
(Obsolete) To void or expel.
(transitive) To try not to meet or communicate with (a person); to shun
(transitive) To stay out of the way of (something harmful).
I avoided the slap easily.
One town was flooded from the storm, while the other town avoided the storm.
To keep away from; to keep clear of; to stay away from
I try to avoid the company of gamblers.
To try not to do something or to have something happen
To make empty; to clear.
To make void, to annul; to refute (especially a contract).
To defeat or evade; to invalidate.
To emit or throw out; to void.
To leave, evacuate; to leave as empty, to withdraw or come away from.
To get rid of.
To retire; to withdraw, depart, go away.
To become void or vacant.
To empty.
To emit or throw out; to void; as, to avoid excretions.
To quit or evacuate; to withdraw from.
Six of us only stayed, and the rest avoidedthe room.
To make void; to annul or vacate; to refute.
How can these grants of the king's be avoided?
To keep away from; to keep clear of; to endeavor no to meet; to shun; to abstain from; as, to avoid the company of gamesters.
What need a man forestall his date of grief.And run to meet what he would most avoid ?
He carefully avoided every act which could goad them into open hostility.
To get rid of.
To defeat or evade; to invalidate. Thus, in a replication, the plaintiff may deny the defendant's plea, or confess it, and avoid it by stating new matter.
No man can pray from his heart to be kept from temptation, if the take no care of himself to avoid it.
So Chanticleer, who never saw a fox,Yet shunned him as a sailor shuns the rocks.
To retire; to withdraw.
David avoided out of his presence.
To become void or vacant.
Stay clear from; keep away from; keep out of the way of someone or something;
Her former friends now avoid her
Prevent the occurrence of; prevent from happening;
Let's avoid a confrontation
Head off a confrontation
Avert a strike
Refrain from doing something;
She refrains from calling her therapist too often
He should avoid publishing his wife's memoires
Refrain from certain foods or beverages;
I keep off drugs
During Ramadan, Muslims avoid tobacco during the day
Declare invalid;
The contract was annulled
Void a plea
To prevent something from happening.
To avoid confusion, he clarified the instructions again.
To refrain from engaging in a particular action.
He avoided eating sweets as part of his diet.
To shun or keep distance from something undesirable.
She avoided making eye contact during the awkward conversation.
To abstain from using, accepting, or engaging in.
They avoided synthetic materials in their products to promote sustainability.
To bypass a problem or obstacle.
The driver took a detour to avoid the construction site.
Avoid Snonyms
Evade
To escape or avoid by cunning.
She evaded the topic by changing the subject.
Fend off
To ward off or turn away.
He fended off the questions about his personal life.
Elude
To evade or escape from by cleverness or skill.
The criminal managed to elude the police by changing his appearance.
Steer clear of
To avoid someone or something deliberately.
He steers clear of any discussions involving politics.
Eschew
To deliberately avoid using or abstaining from.
He eschews alcohol for health reasons.
Shirk
To avoid or neglect a duty or responsibility.
He is known to shirk his chores.
Dodge
To avoid by moving quickly away.
She dodged the ball that was heading towards her.
Withhold
To hold back; to refrain from giving or showing.
She withheld her opinion to avoid conflict.
Sidestep
To step aside; to bypass a problem or difficult situation.
She sidestepped the puddle to keep her shoes clean.
Skirt
To go around or avoid an issue or area.
The path skirts around the lake, providing beautiful views.
Avoid Idioms & Phrases
Avoid the issue
To deliberately not talk about a sensitive subject.
Whenever we discuss finances, she avoids the issue.
Avoid pulling punches
To not hold back criticism or punches.
When it comes to reviews, she doesn’t avoid pulling punches.
Avoid stepping on toes
To avoid offending or upsetting people.
He's careful to avoid stepping on toes when he joins a new team.
Avoid making waves
To try not to cause trouble.
He always tries to avoid making waves at work.
Avoid at all costs
To do everything possible to avoid something.
They told him to avoid driving through that area at all costs.
Avoid getting one's hands dirty
To avoid involvement in something unseemly or unethical.
He prefers to avoid getting his hands dirty and delegates such tasks.
Avoid the elephant in the room
To ignore a large, obvious problem or issue.
The family avoided the elephant in the room during their gatherings.
Avoid a bullet
To narrowly escape a bad situation.
He felt he avoided a bullet by not investing in the failed venture.
Avoid like the plague
To avoid something or someone very deliberately because they are undesirable.
He avoids like the plague going anywhere crowded.
Avoid crossing paths
To keep from meeting someone.
She avoids crossing paths with her by leaving early.
Avoid burning bridges
To maintain relationships even when parting ways.
She is careful to avoid burning bridges with her former employers.
Avoid stirring the pot
To prevent causing agitation or trouble.
It's wise to avoid stirring the pot in sensitive meetings.
Avoid painting oneself into a corner
To avoid getting into a situation that is hard to get out of.
She carefully planned her statements to avoid painting herself into a corner during the debate.
Avoid throwing in the towel
To not give up easily.
Despite the challenges, he avoided throwing in the towel.
Avoid the pitfall
To steer clear of a mistake or error.
With good planning, you can avoid the pitfall of overspending.
Avoid the spotlight
To stay out of public attention.
After the scandal, he avoided the spotlight.
Avoid one’s gaze
To not look directly at someone.
The child avoided his gaze when asked about the broken vase.
Avoid jumping the gun
To not do something too hastily.
He avoided jumping the gun by double-checking the contract details.
Avoid biting off more than you can chew
To not take on more responsibility than you can handle.
She's careful to avoid biting off more than she can chew with her projects.
Avoid tipping one’s hand
To not reveal one’s intentions too early.
In negotiations, it's crucial to avoid tipping your hand.
Avoid Example Sentences
Always try to avoid walking alone at night in unfamiliar areas.
They planned their vacation in the off-season to avoid the crowds.
To avoid misunderstandings, they agreed to communicate openly and frequently.
She changed her route to avoid the construction work on her usual road.
To avoid overheating, make sure the ventilation system is working properly.
He wore sunglasses to avoid the glare of the strong sun.
To avoid mistakes, he carefully reviewed all documents before submission.
He tried to avoid controversial topics during the dinner conversation.
She took medication to avoid getting seasick on the cruise.
They kept food in sealed containers to avoid attracting pests.
She set up filters on her email to avoid spam.
He parked in the shade to avoid the heat building up in his car.
Common Curiosities
Why is it called avoid?
It is called avoid because it comes from the Latin 'avoidare', meaning 'to clear away' or 'to empty', evolving to mean steering clear of something in English.
What is the root word of avoid?
The root word of avoid is the Old French 'esvuider' which means 'to clear out'.
How many syllables are in avoid?
There are two syllables in avoid.
What is a stressed syllable in avoid?
The stressed syllable in avoid is the second: VOID.
How is avoid used in a sentence?
Avoid is used as a verb to express the action of deliberately staying away from someone or something.
What is the verb form of avoid?
Avoid is itself a verb. The forms are avoids, avoiding, avoided.
What is the first form of avoid?
The first form of avoid is "avoid."
What is the second form of avoid?
The second form of avoid is "avoided."
What is the third form of avoid?
The third form of avoid is also "avoided."
What part of speech is avoid?
Avoid is a verb.
What is the singular form of avoid?
The singular form is "avoids."
How do we divide avoid into syllables?
Avoid is divided into syllables as follows: a-void.
What is the opposite of avoid?
The opposite of avoid is "seek" or "confront."
Is avoid a negative or positive word?
Avoid is generally considered a neutral word; its connotation depends on the context.
Is avoid a collective noun?
No, avoid is not a noun.
Is the avoid term a metaphor?
The term avoid can be used metaphorically to suggest steering clear or staying away from non-physical concepts.
Is the word “avoid” a Direct object or an Indirect object?
Avoid can take a direct object, as in "avoid something."
What is the pronunciation of avoid?
Avoid is pronounced as /əˈvɔɪd/.
What is another term for avoid?
Another term for avoid is "evade."
What is the plural form of avoid?
The plural form, in context of verb conjugation, does not apply; however, when using third person singular, it is "avoids."
Is avoid a noun or adjective?
Avoid is a verb.
Is avoid an adverb?
No, avoid is not an adverb.
Is avoid an abstract noun?
No, avoid is not a noun; it is a verb.
Is avoid a vowel or consonant?
The first letter of avoid, 'a', is a vowel.
Is the word avoid Gerund?
The gerund form of avoid is "avoiding."
Which determiner is used with avoid?
Determiners are not typically used with verbs like avoid.
Which preposition is used with avoid?
Common prepositions used with avoid include "to" as in "avoid going to."
Is avoid a countable noun?
Avoid is not a noun; it is a verb.
Is the word avoid imperative?
Avoid can be used in an imperative form to give a command.
Which vowel is used before avoid?
Generally, "a" or "an" can precede avoid, depending on the usage in sentences.
Which conjunction is used with avoid?
Conjunctions such as "and" or "but" can be used in sentences involving the verb avoid.
Which article is used with avoid?
Articles are not typically used directly with verbs.
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Written by
Maham Liaqat
Co-written by
Fiza RafiqueFiza Rafique is a skilled content writer at AskDifference.com, where she meticulously refines and enhances written pieces. Drawing from her vast editorial expertise, Fiza ensures clarity, accuracy, and precision in every article. Passionate about language, she continually seeks to elevate the quality of content for readers worldwide.
