English Meaning & Definitions
To keep away from or stop oneself from doing or experiencing something.
- “You should try to avoid walking alone in the park at night.”
- “We took a different route to avoid the heavy holiday traffic.”
To prevent something from happening or to nullify a legal contract or agreement.
- “Proper maintenance helps avoid costly repairs in the future.”
- “The court decided to avoid the contract due to a lack of mutual consent.”
Comprehensive Thesaurus Breakdown
Compare formal, informal, literary synonyms and register nuances for “avoid”.
Derived from the Middle English 'avoiden', which stems from the Anglo-Norman 'avouder' or 'esvuidier', meaning 'to empty out' or 'to withdraw'. It is composed of the prefix 'a-' (from Latin 'ex-', meaning 'out') and 'void' (from Old French 'vuide', meaning 'empty'). Historically, it meant to make something empty or to cast out, eventually evolving into the modern sense of keeping away from something.
A-VOID: Think of 'A' (away) + 'VOID' (empty space). You stay away from something to keep your personal space empty of it.
Frequently Asked Questions About “avoid”
1. What is the meaning of “avoid” in English?
In English, avoid (verb) is defined as: “To keep away from or stop oneself from doing or experiencing something.”.
2. How do you use “avoid” in a sentence?
“You should try to avoid walking alone in the park at night.”
4. What is the etymology and word origin of “avoid”?
Derived from the Middle English 'avoiden', which stems from the Anglo-Norman 'avouder' or 'esvuidier', meaning 'to empty out' or 'to withdraw'. It is composed of the prefix 'a-' (from Latin 'ex-', meaning 'out') and 'void' (from Old French 'vuide', meaning 'empty'). Historically, it meant to make something empty or to cast out, eventually evolving into the modern sense of keeping away from something.
🇬🇧More English Words to English
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A specific duration of time equal to one hour and forty-six minutes and twelve seconds.
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