WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2025
a•void•a•ble /əˈvɔɪdəbəl/USA pronunciation adj.
WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2025- that can be avoided or prevented:Lung cancer may be avoidable if you quit smoking.
a•void /əˈvɔɪd/USA pronunciation
v. [~ + object]
WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025- to keep away from;
stay or keep clear of:A low-fat diet can help you avoid a heart attack. - [~ + verb-ing] to prevent from happening: She wore those shoes to avoid slipping.
a•void
(ə void′),USA pronunciation v.t.
a•void′a•ble, adj.
a•void′a•bly, adv.
a•void′er, n.
- to keep away from;
keep clear of;
shun:to avoid a person;to avoid taxes;to avoid danger. - to prevent from happening:to avoid falling.
- Lawto make void or of no effect;
invalidate. - [Obs.]to empty;
eject or expel.
- Anglo-French avoider, equivalent. to a- a-4 + voider to void
- Middle English avoiden 1250–30
a•void′a•bly, adv.
a•void′er, n.
- 1.See corresponding entry in Unabridged elude. Avoid, escape mean to come through a potentially harmful or unpleasant experience, without suffering serious consequences. To avoid is to succeed in keeping away from something dangerous or undesirable:to avoid meeting an enemy.Escape suggests encountering peril but coming through it safely:to escape drowning.
- 1.See corresponding entry in Unabridged confront, face, encounter.
'avoidable' also found in these entries (note: many are not synonyms or translations):