obviate

verb

ob·​vi·​ate ˈäb-vē-ˌāt How to pronounce obviate (audio)
obviated; obviating

transitive verb

: to anticipate and prevent (something, such as a situation) or make (an action) unnecessary
The new medical treatment obviates the need for surgery.
obviation noun

Did you know?

It's most often needs that get obviated. And a need that's obviated is a need that's been anticipated and prevented. That sentence may obviate your need to consult the definition again, for example. Obviate comes ultimately from the Latin adjective obviam, meaning "in the way," and obviating does often involve figuratively putting something in the way, as when an explanatory sentence placed just so blocks a need to consult a definition. (Obviam is also an ancestor of our adjective obvious.) Obviate has a number of synonyms in English, including prevent, preclude, and avert, which all can mean "to hinder or stop something." Preclude often implies that a degree of chance was involved in stopping an event, while avert always implies that a bad situation has been anticipated and prevented or deflected by the application of immediate and effective means. Obviate generally suggests the use of intelligence or forethought to ward off trouble.

Examples of obviate in a Sentence

The new medical treatment obviates the need for surgery. The new treatment obviates many of the risks associated with surgery.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Those efforts, however, don’t obviate the fact that the rivalry between the two Asian giants persists. Tanvi Madan, Foreign Affairs, 24 Sep. 2025 But the letters don’t obviate the need for committee meetings, said Peter Lurie, a former associate FDA commissioner who heads the Center for Science in the Public Interest. Arthur Allen, CNN Money, 12 Sep. 2025 But opponents say joining a regional grid could obviate California’s autonomy regarding its clean energy goals and link the Golden State with states that burn coal. Rob Nikolewski, San Diego Union-Tribune, 11 Sep. 2025 These workstations, as well as increasingly powerful desktop computers from IBM and Apple, obviated the need for specialized LISP machines. Jeremy Kahn, Fortune, 3 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for obviate

Word History

Etymology

Late Latin obviatus, past participle of obviare to meet, withstand, from Latin obviam

First Known Use

1567, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of obviate was in 1567

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Cite this Entry

“Obviate.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/obviate. Accessed 10 Oct. 2025.

Kids Definition

obviate

verb
ob·​vi·​ate ˈäb-vē-ˌāt How to pronounce obviate (audio)
obviated; obviating
: to anticipate and take care of beforehand
obviate an objection

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