avert
verb
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Definition of avert
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Synonyms for avert
Synonyms
forestall, head off, help, obviate, preclude, prevent, stave off
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Examples of avert in a Sentence
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The user can then stop, wave the cane in the air to find the obstruction and avert it. — Caren Chesler, Popular Mechanics, "A Vision Quest," 6 Mar. 2019 If actual duties are imposed after months of threats and negotiations to avert them, the world’s two largest economies will be on the verge of a full-scale trade conflict that has the potential to dent the global expansion. — Fortune, "Trump Has Approved $50 Billion in China Tariffs as the Superpowers Inch Toward a Trade War," 15 June 2018 In attendance are mostly top philanthropists from the United States and China, here to address together one of the world’s most pressing problems: climate change, and how to avert it through conservation and sustainability. — Klara Glowczewska, Town & Country, "Meet the Chinese Philanthropists Who Are Pledging Big Money to End Climate Change," 25 May 2018 Right fielder Riley Donahue made a perfect throw and catcher Wesley Phillips applied the tag as Watson tried his best avert it. — Stefan Stevenson, star-telegram, "TCU regains ace but loses slugging king in loss to Abilene Christian | Fort Worth Star-Telegram," 17 Apr. 2018 And so, the intrepid journalist tries his darndest to avert disaster. — Chloe Foussianes, Town & Country, "Jordan Peele's Take on The Twilight Zone's "Nightmare at 20,000 Feet" Breaks from the Original," 3 Apr. 2019 Now that the Trump administration appears to be closing in on a trade deal with China, and thus hopefully averting a damaging tariff war, the U.S. economy is positioned to grow at 3% to 4% over the next several years. — Stephen Moore And Louis Woodhill, WSJ, "The Fed Is a Threat to Growth," 13 Mar. 2019 The country is aiming to achieve net zero emissions by 2050, a goal most climate experts consider an absolute deadline if the world is to avert runaway warming of more than 2 degrees Celsius (3.6 Fahrenheit) by the end of the century. — Fox News, "Small islands use big platform to warn of climate change," 27 Sep. 2018 The Times-Picayune) Louisiana’s higher education leaders are ramping up pressure on state lawmakers, seeking a decision on taxes soon to avert months of financial uncertainty and a last-minute debate before a massive budget shortfall hits. — Julia O'donoghue, NOLA.com, "TOPS, higher education and strawberry farms: Louisiana politics today (Jan. 18)," 18 Jan. 2018These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'avert.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
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avert
verb
English Language Learners Definition of avert
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verb
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