as in prevented
to keep from happening by taking action in advance
her careful planning averted disaster
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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.
Recent Examples of averted
The Mets averted disaster in the first inning.
—
Abbey Mastracco, New York Daily News, 11 Apr. 2026
Despite its status as one of the world's major oil importers, China averted the worst of the energy shock caused by the effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz thanks to multi-year efforts to diversify its energy mix and build up reserves.
—Joseph Wilkins,sean Conlon, CNBC, 10 Apr. 2026
And if the lab finds the two samples to be a definite mismatch, an unthinkable error will have been averted at the last possible moment.
—Orlando Sentinel Editorial Board, The Orlando Sentinel, 3 Apr. 2026
The school district, just west of Charlotte across the Catawba River, averted 100 layoffs last week and potentially 300 more by the end of the school year with an emergency $10 million from Gaston County commissioners.
—Rebecca Noel, Charlotte Observer, 1 Apr. 2026
The new deal averted a potential strike at various DHL facilities.
—Glenn Taylor, Footwear News, 1 Apr. 2026
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
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
Abbey Mastracco, New York Daily News, 11 Apr. 2026
Despite its status as one of the world's major oil importers, China averted the worst of the energy shock caused by the effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz thanks to multi-year efforts to diversify its energy mix and build up reserves.
—Joseph Wilkins,sean Conlon, CNBC, 10 Apr. 2026
And if the lab finds the two samples to be a definite mismatch, an unthinkable error will have been averted at the last possible moment.
—Orlando Sentinel Editorial Board, The Orlando Sentinel, 3 Apr. 2026
The school district, just west of Charlotte across the Catawba River, averted 100 layoffs last week and potentially 300 more by the end of the school year with an emergency $10 million from Gaston County commissioners.
—Rebecca Noel, Charlotte Observer, 1 Apr. 2026
The new deal averted a potential strike at various DHL facilities.
—Glenn Taylor, Footwear News, 1 Apr. 2026
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
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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for averted
prevented
Verb
-
The Secret Service says its nationwide operation has prevented more than $570 million in taxpayer money from being lost to criminals.—
J.D. Miles,
CBS News,
15 Apr. 2026
-
While a media blackout prevented anyone from weighing in on the negotiations, a few audible sighs of relief could be heard when the WGA’s surprise agreement with the AMPTP was mentioned.—
Dade Hayes,
Deadline,
14 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Averted.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/averted. Accessed 16 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
