as in prevented
to keep from happening by taking action in advance
her careful planning averted disaster
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Recent Examples of averted
In April 2011, leaders of both parties came to an agreement following weeks of difficult negotiations and ultimately averted a government shutdown, as recapped by President Barack Obama.
—
Kinsey Crowley, USA Today, 6 Nov. 2025
Former Assistant Principal Ebony Parker is accused of ignoring red flags that might have averted the 2023 shooting.
—Chris Boyette, CNN Money, 3 Nov. 2025
So, the tariffs will be averted.
—ABC News, 26 Oct. 2025
The government has also followed through on Vought’s earlier threat to fire a massive number of civil servants if the shutdown were not averted.
—Andy Kroll, ProPublica, 20 Oct. 2025
The government’s survival on Thursday averted that outcome, at least for the time being.
—Aurelien Breeden, New York Times, 16 Oct. 2025
This story has been corrected to show the warnings were reversed in 2015 before Congress averted a shutdown.
—Geoff Mulvihill, Twin Cities, 16 Oct. 2025
In the September 6 TikTok video, Sandra planted herself firmly in the backseat with her eyes averted, giving her owner the cold shoulder.
—Liz O'Connell, MSNBC Newsweek, 14 Oct. 2025
Democratic elders have sought to cast blame on Republicans for the shutdown, arguing it could be averted if the GOP agreed to attach provisions to the CR enacting healthcare reforms.
—Emily Hallas, The Washington Examiner, 11 Oct. 2025
Kinsey Crowley, USA Today, 6 Nov. 2025
Former Assistant Principal Ebony Parker is accused of ignoring red flags that might have averted the 2023 shooting.
—Chris Boyette, CNN Money, 3 Nov. 2025
So, the tariffs will be averted.
—ABC News, 26 Oct. 2025
The government has also followed through on Vought’s earlier threat to fire a massive number of civil servants if the shutdown were not averted.
—Andy Kroll, ProPublica, 20 Oct. 2025
The government’s survival on Thursday averted that outcome, at least for the time being.
—Aurelien Breeden, New York Times, 16 Oct. 2025
This story has been corrected to show the warnings were reversed in 2015 before Congress averted a shutdown.
—Geoff Mulvihill, Twin Cities, 16 Oct. 2025
In the September 6 TikTok video, Sandra planted herself firmly in the backseat with her eyes averted, giving her owner the cold shoulder.
—Liz O'Connell, MSNBC Newsweek, 14 Oct. 2025
Democratic elders have sought to cast blame on Republicans for the shutdown, arguing it could be averted if the GOP agreed to attach provisions to the CR enacting healthcare reforms.
—Emily Hallas, The Washington Examiner, 11 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for averted
prevented
Verb
-
LogoPowered byScale logo At least 114 people have died and 127 remain missing in central Philippines after a typhoon caused destruction and widespread flooding, which local officials suggest could have been prevented if not for persistent graft in flood-control projects.—
Chad de Guzman,
Time,
6 Nov. 2025
-
The government shutdown, which started on October 1, has prevented many federal employees from getting paid.—
Holly Yan,
CNN Money,
6 Nov. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Averted.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/averted. Accessed 10 Nov. 2025.
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