verb

• 1Keep away from or stop oneself from doing (something)

  ‘avoid excessive exposure to the sun’

  More example sentences

  • ‘Gerard avoided meeting his eye’
  • ‘What is the best method for those who wish to avoid excessive sun exposure and dairy sources of vitamin D?’
  • ‘Ironically, women who seek these treatments to improve the appearance of their skin could have avoided their fate by avoiding excessive sun exposure in the first place.’
  • ‘Why, you try cutting them out, stop eating them, avoiding temptation.’
  • ‘Sudden physical exercise can trigger a migraine, although regular exercise rather than avoiding it may help stop attacks.’
  • ‘‘Stop avoiding the subject,’ I snap suddenly, trying my best to keep my anger under control as I cry.’
  • ‘It was time Arin stopped avoiding the conversation.’
  • ‘I don't have all the answers, but I think we have to stop avoiding the questions.’
  • ‘In the meantime, patients should be advised to avoid excessive exposure to sunlight.’
  • ‘People with chronic bronchitis should stop smoking and avoid second-hand smoke.’
  • ‘Low-level radiation is also the reason for avoiding excessive exposures of x-rays to personnel working in the fields of medicine, dentistry and defence and engineering.’
  • ‘Better still, aim for less packaging by avoiding those products with excessive or unnecessary packaging.’
  • ‘We introduced ourselves as refugees from Pakistan, to avoid excessive attention.’
  • ‘The league also implemented a deterrent to avoid excessive use of instant replay.’
  • ‘Counseling patients at increased risk to avoid excess sun exposure is recommended.’
  • ‘For example, patients with diabetes may need help in avoiding excessive sugar intake as an inappropriate way of improving food taste.’
  • ‘By avoiding excessive reverence, Lucas makes the first appearance of the black mask and costume a moment of profound sadness.’
  • ‘Fruit flavor is related to the amount of foliage on the plants, so avoid excessive pruning for best results.’
  • ‘Wipe up spills promptly to avoid excessive smoke during the cleaning cycle.’
  • ‘Travel directly to the meeting venue and avoid any contact with susceptible animals and agricultural land.’
  • ‘Also, avoid excessive consumption of protein and foods high in yellow dyes.’

  Synonyms

  keep away from, stay away from, steer clear of, circumvent, give a wide berth to, give something a miss, keep at arm's length, fight shy of

  refrain from, abstain from, desist from, forbear from, eschew

  View synonyms

  1. 1.1Contrive not to meet (someone)
     ‘boys queued up to take Gloria out, but avoided Deirdre’
     More example sentences

     • ‘She could tell that Hannah had been looking for her but she had been avoiding her, ducking into large groups of people or ignoring her.’
     • ‘His coworkers had been avoiding him all day, and no one would meet his eyes.’
     • ‘It isn't surprising that she's lonely, because most people would prefer to avoid her whenever possible.’
     • ‘Their uncle remained in Dundee and the sisters would go to great lengths to avoid him, rarely attending family gatherings if he was there.’
     • ‘We sprinted toward the massive building trying to avoid anyone that we may have met.’
     • ‘And that's why you avoided me after you met Lucky at the hospital.’
     • ‘Instead the people were strange and avoided her.’
     • ‘I wish people wouldn't assume I need something from them, avoiding me to keep themselves off the hook.’
     • ‘I noticed that most people seemed to be going out of their way to avoid him.’
     • ‘There may well be something about me in person that leaves people cold and wanting to avoid me.’
     • ‘I guess I did everything I can so I'm just going to accept her waltz of displeasure as she avoids me in the halls of the school.’
     • ‘But still, I found myself unconsciously avoiding him.’
     • ‘It wasn't my cousin getting married that had me so worked up, but rather that the event would require seeing my father again, after over a year and a half of politely avoiding him.’
     • ‘Or will I get paranoid and think everybody's avoiding me?’
     • ‘After all, she had already started avoiding me.’
     • ‘I'd make snide remarks to him, snub him, give him disparaging looks and he usually responded by ignoring my bad behavior and avoiding me.’
     • ‘Either that or they're being spiteful and avoiding me.’
     • ‘So if you're going you'll have great difficulty avoiding me.’
     • ‘I turn to serve myself a glass of something, just to avoid them, but stop when she taps me on the arm.’
     • ‘It was a sheer invitation to stop avoiding them, and Tal suddenly felt guilty.’
     Synonyms

     shun, stay away from, evade, keep one's distance from, hide from, elude

     View synonyms
  2. 1.2Not go to or through (a place)
     ‘this route avoids downtown Boston’
     More example sentences

     • ‘What also concerns me is I have been informed these measures are so severe drivers are already avoiding using this route.’
     • ‘Some postal workers specifically avoided the World Trade Centre because its upper floors were known to creak and sway in stiff winds.’
     • ‘Most people avoided the place entirely, except for perhaps the occasional adventurer or scientist.’
     • ‘If enough people avoid the place of the robbery or the assault, the problem will go away.’
     • ‘Many motorists avoid taking the road and prefer a longer route to reach their destination.’
     • ‘The organisers advise that vehicle owners avoid the area and use alternative routes.’
     • ‘The library was now open and it was time to find out why Emily was avoiding this place like the black plague.’
     • ‘It looked different… maybe a coat of paint, or something, or maybe it was just because I'd avoided the place since Kate died.’
     • ‘And he avoided noisy and crowded at all costs… which meant he also avoided places like malls.’
     • ‘Police officers avoided the place like sheep from a lion's den, which made cash exchanges very convenient.’
     • ‘Since I'm going to NYC a few days after writing this, we can certainly avoid those places.’
     • ‘As they do now, people avoided public spaces, knowing that dumb luck could put you in the mortally wrong place at the wrong moment.’
     • ‘I usually avoided what was probably the most direct route in favour of a longer path that meant I had more people to walk with and more houses to go past.’
     • ‘I am now so paranoid at not paying a fine I will avoid the place.’
     • ‘No doubt patients will avoid the place too if they have the choice.’
     • ‘I think people are just avoiding the scene altogether.’
     • ‘Finally, he is forced to go to the Public Welfare Office, a place he has avoided out of pride.’
     • ‘In Hong Kong, scores of schools have closed, and some people are avoiding crowded places.’
     • ‘Driving without thinking, she had come to the one of the darkest parts of the city where most people avoided.’
     • ‘Singapore Airlines and other carriers cut flights after visitors avoided the city and as many as nine in 10 hotel rooms were left empty.’
  3. 1.3Prevent from happening.
     ‘book early to avoid disappointment’
     More example sentences

     • ‘He said even the mine accidents that had been happening could have been avoided had monitoring committees been in place.’
     • ‘The Met Office estimates ￡1 billion damage is caused to homes by bad weather alone, and much could be avoided by taking preventative measures.’
     • ‘The reason to do it now is preventive to try and avoid a toothless old age for her.’
     • ‘Increased awareness and prevention are key to avoiding Lyme disease.’
     • ‘The accident could have been avoided only by detecting the track fault and preventing the freight train derailment.’
     • ‘Limited tickets available so book early to avoid disappointment.’
     • ‘Those interested are advised to book early, to avoid disappointment.’
     • ‘By following some simple rules on DIY safety, many of the most common accidents can be simply avoided.’
     • ‘According to World Bank, 30 per cent of deaths due to accidents can be avoided if better emergency medical facilities are provided.’
     • ‘She said: ‘Once again, it is another accident which could be avoided.’’
     • ‘It is timely reminder that many farm-related accidents can be avoided if potential hazards are clearly identified and precautions taken.’
     • ‘I wonder how many road accidents will be avoided if this happens, especially those one vehicle accidents that seem to occur with regularity in the early hours of the morning.’
     • ‘You stop smoking to avoid dying of cancer or lung disease, but you get fat and run the risk of stroke and heart disease.’
     • ‘Jackson failed to stop and went through the lights at red, forcing the driver of a taxi to make an emergency stop to avoid a collision.’
     • ‘A man driving on the Rotary roundabout in summer last year avoided injury after he stopped his vehicle to stamp out what he thought was a small fire.’
     • ‘IceWind skidded to an abrupt stop to avoid a collision with StormCall's hindquarters.’
     • ‘They believe, however, that people should be allowed to determine when they die so as to avoid excessive pain or distress for their relatives.’
     • ‘Freeman argued that at the time he was being chased by paparazzi and was forced to drive with excessive speed to avoid death or injury.’
     • ‘Contact with Mickie was never prolonged, when useful conversation was exhausted, he politely terminated the meeting avoiding boredom on either side.’
     Synonyms

     avert, prevent, avoid, preclude, rule out, counter, forestall, nip in the bud

     View synonyms

• 2Law
  Repudiate, nullify, or render void (a decree or contract)

  ‘if the original owner had avoided his contract with the rogue, ownership of the goods would have reverted to him’

  More example sentences

  • ‘It could be said that payments under void or avoided contracts are made on the basis of a failure of consideration.’
  • ‘As the contract had not been avoided at the date of the sale to the defendants, they acquired a good title in the goods.’
  • ‘It is one process that could have been used, your Honour, but the alternative process is to sue for the return of the money on the ground that the contract has been avoided.’
  • ‘It was a lighter matter to interfere with freedom of contract and avoid covenants under seal.’
  • ‘As he put it, there might be liability in tort to third parties but there was no basis on which the contract of sale itself could be avoided.’