English Meaning & Definitions
To turn away one's eyes or thoughts from something.
- “She had to avert her gaze to hide the tears welling in her eyes.”
- “He averted his eyes from the gruesome scene on the television.”
To prevent or ward off an undesirable occurrence.
- “The quick thinking of the pilot helped avert a major disaster.”
- “Diplomatic efforts were made to avert a full-scale war between the nations.”
English Antonyms & Opposites
Comprehensive Thesaurus Breakdown
Compare formal, informal, literary synonyms and register nuances for “avert”.
Derived from the Middle French 'avertir' and the Latin 'avertere', formed by the prefix 'ab-' (away) and 'vertere' (to turn). Literally meaning 'to turn away', the word evolved from the physical act of turning one's eyes or body to the figurative sense of preventing an undesirable event.
A-vert: Think of 'A' (away) + 'vert' (like vertical/vertex, but think 'veer'). You veer away to avoid a collision.
Frequently Asked Questions About “avert”
1. What is the meaning of “avert” in English?
In English, avert (verb) is defined as: “To turn away one's eyes or thoughts from something.”.
2. How do you use “avert” in a sentence?
“She had to avert her gaze to hide the tears welling in her eyes.”
3. What are English synonyms of “avert”?
4. What is the etymology and word origin of “avert”?
Derived from the Middle French 'avertir' and the Latin 'avertere', formed by the prefix 'ab-' (away) and 'vertere' (to turn). Literally meaning 'to turn away', the word evolved from the physical act of turning one's eyes or body to the figurative sense of preventing an undesirable event.
🇬🇧More English Words to English
View all English words →A measurement of time indicating an instantaneous occurrence or a state where no time has elapsed.
The base unit of time in the International System of Units (SI), equal to the duration of 9,192,631,770 periods of the radiation corresponding to the transition between the two hyperfine levels of the ground state of the caesium-133 atom.
A specific duration of time equal to one hour and forty-six minutes and twelve seconds.
The cardinal number equal to one thousand million (1,000,000,000), expressed in scientific notation as 10^9.