Definitions

avoid

[uh-void] / əˈvɔɪd /

VERB

refrain or stay away from; prevent

Synonyms

STRONGEST

avert bypass dodge escape evade fend off shun sidestep ward off

STRONG

abstain circumvent deflect desist ditch divert duck elude eschew flee hide jump obviate recoil shake shirk shy skip skirt weave withdraw

WEAK

circumlocute cold-shoulder fake out give the slip hold off keep clear lay low run for cover shake and bake shake off shrink from shuffle off skip out on skip town stay away stay out steer clear of step aside turn aside

Antonyms

STRONGEST

face meet

STRONG

allow help permit stay take on

WEAK

seek want

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

If Burnham wins the by-election, one minister tells me he and Streeting should find an "accommodation" to avoid what could be a "catastrophic" leadership contest.

From BBC • May 16, 2026

Part or all of the exemption can be used during your lifetime to avoid gift taxes.

From Barron's • May 16, 2026

The summit, led by Colombia and the Netherlands, was organized outside normal United Nations channels and processes to avoid the kind of bottlenecking often orchestrated by petrostates.

From Salon • May 16, 2026

Did they avoid one another, or did they cross paths often?

From Science Daily • May 16, 2026

He thought of Gelifen; and he said, “We don’t have weeks. How close do we have to pass, to avoid the coral?”

From "Impossible Creatures" by Katherine Rundell

Vocabulary lists containing avoid

"Brothers in Hope"

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"Do Family Meals Matter?" and "Fish Cheeks"

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Workshop 5, Part 1

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