avoid
verb/əˈvɔɪd/
/əˈvɔɪd/
Verb Forms
Idioms | present simple I / you / we / they avoid | /əˈvɔɪd/ /əˈvɔɪd/ |
| he / she / it avoids | /əˈvɔɪdz/ /əˈvɔɪdz/ |
| past simple avoided | /əˈvɔɪdɪd/ /əˈvɔɪdɪd/ |
| past participle avoided | /əˈvɔɪdɪd/ /əˈvɔɪdɪd/ |
| -ing form avoiding | /əˈvɔɪdɪŋ/ /əˈvɔɪdɪŋ/ |
- to prevent something bad from happening
- avoid something to avoid conflict/confrontation
- We must find a way to avoid similar problems in future.
- They narrowly avoided defeat.
- The name was changed to avoid confusion with another firm.
- The accident could have been avoided.
- Efforts are being made to avoid war at all costs.
- avoid (something) doing something They built a wall to avoid soil being washed away.
Extra Examples- It is sometimes impossible to avoid conflict altogether.
- They are anxious to avoid any further misunderstandings.
- Most of these problems could have been easily avoided.
- The authorities are eager to avoid bad publicity.
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadverb- altogether
- actively
- assiduously
- …
- be anxious to
- want to
- wish to
- …
- an attempt to avoid something
- an effort to avoid something
- to keep away from somebody/something; to try not to do something
- avoid somebody/something He's been avoiding me all week.
- She kept avoiding my eyes (= avoided looking at me).
- By staying at home he manages to avoid all contact with strangers.
- Certain foods should be avoided during pregnancy.
- I left early to avoid the rush hour.
- avoid doing something He tried to avoid paying his taxes and was taken to court.
More Like This Verbs usually followed by -ing formsVerbs usually followed by -ing formsExtra Examples- I've been avoiding getting down to work all day.
- You should avoid mentioning his divorce.
- The two men carefully avoided one another.
- I scrupulously avoid artificial additives when I buy food.
- He was careful to avoid any sentimentality in his speech.
- She pointedly avoided looking at him when she spoke.
- Getting involved in a court case is something to be avoided at all costs.
- He deftly avoided answering the question.
- He failed in his attempt to avoid having to pay.
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadverb- altogether
- actively
- assiduously
- …
- be anxious to
- want to
- wish to
- …
- an attempt to avoid something
- an effort to avoid something
- avoid something to prevent yourself from hitting something
- The car swerved to avoid a cat.
Extra Examples- He braked hard and narrowly avoided a parked van.
- They ducked to avoid a low branch.
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadverb- narrowly
- brake to
- slow to
- slow down to
- …
Word Originlate Middle English: from Old French evuider ‘clear out, get rid of’, from vuide ‘empty’, related to Latin vacare ‘vacate’.
Idioms
See avoid in the Oxford Advanced American DictionarySee avoid in the Oxford Learner's Dictionary of Academic Englishavoid somebody/something like the plague
- (informal) to try very hard not to meet somebody, do something, etc.
- She's been avoiding me like the plague since the party last Saturday.
- I hate office parties—I avoid them like the plague.
to fall into/avoid the trap of doing something
- to do/avoid doing something that is a mistake but that seems at first to be a good idea
- Parents often fall into the trap of trying to do everything for their children.
- The movie avoids the trap of spending too much time explaining things.
Check pronunciation:
avoid