Synonyms of avoid

avoid

verb

ə-ˈvȯid 

1

as in to evade

to get or keep away from (as a responsibility) through cleverness or trickery

trying to avoid writing thank-you notes for the gifts he didn't like

Synonyms & Similar Words

• evade
• escape
• prevent
• eliminate
• dodge
• deflect
• shun
• eschew
• elude
• shake
• circumvent
• thwart
• scape
• steer clear of
• shirk
• exclude
• shuffle (out of)
• keep clear of
• preclude
• duck
• obviate
• avert
• miss
• fight shy of
• get around
• divert
• stay clear of
• weasel (out of)
• finesse
• bypass
• rule out
• ward (off)
• parry
• ban
• debar
• except
• outwit
• frustrate
• foil
• outsmart
• bar
• fox
• outfox
• overreach
• skirt

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• seek
• accept
• pursue
• embrace
• welcome
• catch
• incur
• court
• contract

2

as in to abolish

to put an end to by formal action

asked the court to avoid the contract because it was signed under duress

Synonyms & Similar Words

• abolish
• cancel
• repeal
• overturn
• vacate
• void
• nullify
• invalidate
• negate
• dismiss
• set aside
• quash
• dissolve
• roll back
• withdraw
• rescind
• abrogate
• suspend
• strike down
• annul
• eliminate
• revoke
• abate
• reverse
• remove
• reject
• do away with
• retract
• forbid
• null
• recall
• veto
• prohibit
• override
• overrule
• disannul
• erase
• ban
• call off
• abort
• enjoin
• disallow
• eradicate
• countermand
• call
• outlaw
• drop
• liquidate
• write off
• annihilate
• throw out
• break down

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• found
• enact
• establish
• lay down
• legislate
• legitimate
• institute
• pass
• validate
• allow
• permit
• approve
• authorize
• ratify
• endorse
• order
• prescribe
• warrant
• clear
• legitimize
• legalize
• formalize
• command
• sanction
• indorse
• mandate
• decree

Synonym Chooser

How does the verb avoid contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of avoid are elude, escape, eschew, evade, and shun. While all these words mean "to get away or keep away from something," avoid stresses forethought and caution in keeping clear of danger or difficulty.

try to avoid past errors

When might elude be a better fit than avoid?

While the synonyms elude and avoid are close in meaning, elude implies a slippery or baffling quality in the person or thing that escapes.

what she sees in him eludes me

When is it sensible to use escape instead of avoid?

The words escape and avoid are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, escape stresses the fact of getting away or being passed by not necessarily through effort or by conscious intent.

nothing escapes her sharp eyes

In what contexts can eschew take the place of avoid?

The words eschew and avoid can be used in similar contexts, but eschew implies an avoiding or abstaining from as unwise or distasteful.

a playwright who eschews melodrama

When can evade be used instead of avoid?

In some situations, the words evade and avoid are roughly equivalent. However, evade implies adroitness, ingenuity, or lack of scruple in escaping or avoiding.

evaded the question by changing the subject

Where would shun be a reasonable alternative to avoid?

While in some cases nearly identical to avoid, shun often implies an avoiding as a matter of habitual practice or policy and may imply repugnance or abhorrence.

you have shunned your responsibilities

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of avoid

But Eisner speculates that this may have festered within Ela over the ensuing years, thereby sparking her desire for vengeance on Forde—who may have confessed to his affair with Ela to avoid being prosecuted for the 1321 raid. —ArsTechnica, 6 June 2025

Doing so prevents on-ball defenders from being left behind the play trying to fight through a screen, but the approach necessitates defenders who can guard a variety of positions to avoid mismatches after switching. —Lev Akabas, Sportico.com, 6 June 2025

Yet Trump held his fire, in part because of an effort to avoid an escalation that would trigger Musk to declare all-out war against Republican lawmakers weighing the future of a bill essential to his entire agenda, according to two White House officials. —Phil Mattingly, CNN Money, 6 June 2025

The team’s careful planning and early outreach helped avoid problems in the future, like having to replace important music in post-production – something that simply wasn’t an option here. —Hugh McIntyre, Forbes.com, 6 June 2025