avoid

About 55.15 uses per million words.

Meaning

1. verb To try not to meet or communicate with (a person); to shun.
2. verb To stay out of the way of (something harmful).

   I avoided the slap easily.

3. verb To keep away from; to keep clear of; to stay away from.

   I try to avoid the company of gamblers.

4. verb To try not to do something or to have something happen.
5. verb To make empty; to clear.
6. verb To make void, to annul; to refute (especially a contract).
7. verb To defeat or evade; to invalidate.
8. verb To emit or throw out; to void.

Similar words

keep off keep from avert stave off debar obviate nullify annul ward off invalidate

Often followed by

the a this any being it all them such

Word family

avoidable avoidably avoided avoider avoiders avoiding avoids