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

Like in the Rangers’ final exhibition game Tuesday, when a Jack Leiter pitch was reversed from a ball to a strike, meaning a walk became a strikeout and a potential unraveling was thus averted. —Kevin Sherrington mar. 25, Dallas Morning News, 25 Mar. 2026

Those federal funds averted over 12,000 evictions in Milwaukee. —Gina Lee Castro, jsonline.com, 23 Mar. 2026

Understanding the gravity of a red flag warning and adhering to these precautions is paramount in averting wildfires during these perilous conditions. —Kansas City Star Weather Bot, Kansas City Star, 21 Mar. 2026

So much so that the forecasts warning of a major collapse in HIV/AIDS treatment efforts, after foreign aid cuts threw programs into turmoil, appear to have been averted — at least for now. —Gabrielle Emanuel, NPR, 20 Mar. 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