Synonyms for avoid
Definitions
- v. 1
To try not to meet or communicate with (a person); to shun.
- v. 2
To stay out of the way of (something harmful).
I avoided the slap easily.
Forms
- Past participle
- avoided
e.g. avoided → evaded, averted, shunned, eschewed…
Example sentences
- dodge I was somehow able to dodge the attack with ease.
- evade Being born of it, you cannot evade its principles.
- shun Please don’t shun me because I have this gift.
- avert We need to act now if we want to avert disaster.
- invalidate Ziri doesn't want to invalidate his ablutions.
- nullify This contract will nullify all preceding contracts.
Popularity over time
| Word | 1850 → 2019 | Trend |
|---|---|---|
| avoid | rising | |
| dodge | rising | |
| evade | steady | |
| shun | steady | |
| avert | steady | |
| invalidate | falling |
Use in printed books, per decade from 1850 to 2019.
By length
- 4 letters
- help1, duck1, void1, shun1, balk1
- 5 letters
- dodge1, blink1, evade2, avert2, elude2, quash1, shirk1, annul2, baulk, debar
- 6 letters
- escape2, swerve1, eschew2
- 7 letters
- decline2, deflect2, abstain2, nullify3, obviate3, forbear, forfend, evitate
- 8 letters
- sidestep2
- 10 letters
- invalidate4
The small number after each word is its number of syllables (evade2 = 2 syllables).
In other languages
- Français
- éviter
- Italiano
- evitare
- Español
- evitar
- Deutsch
- ausweichen
- Català
- evitar