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, 3 Oct. 2025
Sealing the deal averted a potential Azeri invasion to secure unfettered access after Azerbaijan’s forces inflicted heavy defeats on Armenia’s army in 2020 and 2023 and pushed 120,000 Armenians out of Nagorno-Karabakh.
—Michele Crestani, MSNBC Newsweek, 3 Oct. 2025
Sure, Disney averted a more explosive showdown.
—Michael Schneider, Variety, 2 Oct. 2025
When Congress averted a shutdown in March, Schumer and nine other Democrats voted with Republicans to extend funding until the end of the fiscal year.
—Benjamin Siegel, ABC News, 30 Sep. 2025
America would have averted a constitutional crisis and a financial disaster.
—Tom Campbell, Oc Register, 24 Sep. 2025
What's much harder to measure is the number of shootings that have been averted.
—Cleo Krejci, jsonline.com, 16 Sep. 2025
Monday’s announcement means that risk could now be averted.
—Ryan Browne,holly Ellyatt, CNBC, 15 Sep. 2025
O’Steen averted his eyes from the exhibit, appearing to not want to look at the image of the victim.
—Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 12 Sep. 2025
Kinsey Crowley, USA Today, 3 Oct. 2025
Sealing the deal averted a potential Azeri invasion to secure unfettered access after Azerbaijan’s forces inflicted heavy defeats on Armenia’s army in 2020 and 2023 and pushed 120,000 Armenians out of Nagorno-Karabakh.
—Michele Crestani, MSNBC Newsweek, 3 Oct. 2025
Sure, Disney averted a more explosive showdown.
—Michael Schneider, Variety, 2 Oct. 2025
When Congress averted a shutdown in March, Schumer and nine other Democrats voted with Republicans to extend funding until the end of the fiscal year.
—Benjamin Siegel, ABC News, 30 Sep. 2025
America would have averted a constitutional crisis and a financial disaster.
—Tom Campbell, Oc Register, 24 Sep. 2025
What's much harder to measure is the number of shootings that have been averted.
—Cleo Krejci, jsonline.com, 16 Sep. 2025
Monday’s announcement means that risk could now be averted.
—Ryan Browne,holly Ellyatt, CNBC, 15 Sep. 2025
O’Steen averted his eyes from the exhibit, appearing to not want to look at the image of the victim.
—Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 12 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for averted
prevented
Verb
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But that doesn't mean they can't be prevented.—
Hannah Yasharoff,
USA Today,
3 Oct. 2025
-
Democrats have replied that this is prevented by federal law, though some states permit it, including through Medicaid.—
Naomi Lim,
The Washington Examiner,
2 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Averted.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/averted. Accessed 6 Oct. 2025.
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