avoid
/əˈvɔɪd/verb★Beginner
general
To keep away from someone or something; to prevent something from happening.
She tries to avoid stressful situations.
He avoids eating junk food to stay healthy.
💡
Often used with prepositions like 'avoid doing something' or 'avoid someone/something'.
Collocations
avoid doing somethingto deliberately not do an actionavoid someoneto stay away from a personavoid a situationto prevent or stay away from a circumstance
Synonyms
Antonyms
Related Phrases
avoid at all costsphrase
to make every effort to prevent something
avoid like the plagueidiom
to stay away from something or someone completely
💡Pro Tip
Preposition Use
Remember that 'avoid' is often followed by a gerund (e.g., 'avoid eating') or a noun (e.g., 'avoid the topic').
⚡Gold Rule
Common Collocations
'Avoid' is frequently used with 'doing something' or 'someone/something'.
📖Word Origin
From Middle English 'avoiden', from Anglo-French 'avoider', from Old French 'esvuidier' (to empty), from Latin 'vacuus' (empty).
📝Usage Notes
Commonly used in both formal and informal contexts. Often followed by a gerund (e.g., 'avoid eating') or a noun (e.g., 'avoid the topic').
Word Breakdown
avoid
to keep away from
rootEnglish Dictionary