avert

verb

ə-ˈvərt 

averted; averting; averts

transitive verb

1

: to turn away or aside (the eyes, one's gaze, etc.) in avoidance

I found the sight so grotesque that I had to avert my eyes …

—John Gregory Dunne

2

: to see coming and ward off : avoid

avert disaster

Synonyms of avert

• prevent

Examples of avert in a Sentence

He sped up and averted an accident.

The diplomatic talks narrowly averted a war.

an attempt to avert a strike at the plant

Recent Examples on the Web

This looting of the Treasury has apparently been averted, following a rare revolt by Republican lawmakers. —Ruth Marcus, New Yorker, 14 June 2026

The two timelines are connected through the signal, enabling a cross-era effort to avert the crisis. —Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 13 June 2026

Luckily for Vegas, Carter Harter stopped Jarvis’ backhand, but the threat wasn’t averted just yet. —Scott Thompson, FOXNews.com, 10 June 2026

When it was launched in 1930, the spirit envisioned by the then- FIFA president — and WWI veteran — Jules Rimet was to help bring nations together to avert future global conflicts. —Kansas City Star, 10 June 2026

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Middle French avertir, from Latin avertere, from ab- + vertere to turn — more at worth

First Known Use

circa 1563, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing avert

• avert one's eyes

Rhymes for avert

• alert
• assert
• dessert
• divert
• evert
• exert
• inert
• insert
• invert
• nightshirt
• overt
• revert

Kids Definition

avert

verb

ə-ˈvərt 

1

: to turn away

avert one's eyes

2

: to keep from happening

averted an accident