1
as in evading
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
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in abolishing
to put an end to by formal action
asked the court to avoid the contract because it was signed under duress
Synonyms & Similar Words
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 avoiding
While technical expertise is crucial, successfully landing remote AI jobs also requires strategic searching, understanding employer terminology, and avoiding scams.
—
Bryan Robinson,
Forbes.com,
29 June 2026
Petrakakos said arrangements around possible tolls or coordination with Iran remain largely ad hoc, with most shipping companies avoiding direct engagement because of sanctions risk.
—
Hugh Leask,
CNBC,
29 June 2026
Swan's assault came after other random attacks in the city, and had locals avoiding the trains.
—
Irene Wright,
USA Today,
29 June 2026
In other words, failing to pay attention to some critical dates on the July calendar is a potentially costly mistake worth avoiding as rates on CDs, high-yield savings and money market accounts all may increase slightly on these days.
—
Matt Richardson,
CBS News,
29 June 2026
For many families, avoiding dangerous heat is not as simple as adjusting the thermostat.
—
Chuka Onuh,
Chicago Tribune,
29 June 2026
Base editing, the process used to make the changes, only nicks one strand of DNA, avoiding the major DNA errors that made CRISPR unsafe.
—
Carolyn Y. Johnson,
Washington Post,
25 June 2026
So, avoiding extreme sleep deprivation can be helpful.
—
Parents,
25 June 2026
Though visitors to San Francisco’s weekend-long party coming from the capital region are close enough to hop in their cars and drive to the Bay Area for a day trip, the festival’s organizers highly urge avoiding the streets around the celebration throughout the weekend.
—
Camila Pedrosa,
Sacbee.com,
25 June 2026
Bryan Robinson,
Forbes.com,
29 June 2026
Petrakakos said arrangements around possible tolls or coordination with Iran remain largely ad hoc, with most shipping companies avoiding direct engagement because of sanctions risk.
—
Hugh Leask,
CNBC,
29 June 2026
Swan's assault came after other random attacks in the city, and had locals avoiding the trains.
—
Irene Wright,
USA Today,
29 June 2026
In other words, failing to pay attention to some critical dates on the July calendar is a potentially costly mistake worth avoiding as rates on CDs, high-yield savings and money market accounts all may increase slightly on these days.
—
Matt Richardson,
CBS News,
29 June 2026
For many families, avoiding dangerous heat is not as simple as adjusting the thermostat.
—
Chuka Onuh,
Chicago Tribune,
29 June 2026
Base editing, the process used to make the changes, only nicks one strand of DNA, avoiding the major DNA errors that made CRISPR unsafe.
—
Carolyn Y. Johnson,
Washington Post,
25 June 2026
So, avoiding extreme sleep deprivation can be helpful.
—
Parents,
25 June 2026
Though visitors to San Francisco’s weekend-long party coming from the capital region are close enough to hop in their cars and drive to the Bay Area for a day trip, the festival’s organizers highly urge avoiding the streets around the celebration throughout the weekend.
—
Camila Pedrosa,
Sacbee.com,
25 June 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for avoiding
Verb
-
The suspect, 30‑year‑old Trevion Mark of Fort Worth, was arrested nearby without incident and charged with reckless endangerment and evading arrest in a motor vehicle, according to DPS.
-
Mark was charged with reckless endangerment and evading arrest in a motor vehicle and booked into the Tarrant County Jail.
Verb
-
Among the subjects Avila Chevalier says Democrats should focus on are affordability, federal budgets focused on aiding working people, and a more just immigration system — including abolishing Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
-
Avila Chevalier survived a deluge of attacks for previous social media posts that called for abolishing the police and prisons.
Verb
-
The combination remained effective because escaping both antibodies required multiple simultaneous mutations rather than a single genetic change.
-
Workers were able to prevent more than 1,000 other monkeys at the facility from escaping.
Verb
-
In one significant policy shift, Lewis George campaigned on repealing former Metropolitan Police Department chief Pamela Smith’s executive order directing her officers to cooperate with federal immigration authorities for individuals not in police custody.
-
Council members narrowly passed the ordinance repealing the ban by a 7-5 vote, with some voting against the measure as a form of protest.
Verb
-
The rabies vaccine, if administered immediately after exposure, is nearly 100% successful at preventing the disease, according to the World Health Organization.
-
Mount Aukum Road was closed to southbound motorists at the community of Pleasant Valley, preventing travel into the fire zone.
Verb
-
What to pack and how to prepare Kids’ ears are more sensitive than adults’, so bring kid-sized earplugs or noise-canceling headphones.
-
In 2024, Joe Biden sailed to the Democratic presidential nomination after a primary process that was little more than a formality, with the Florida Democratic Party even cancelling its primary in March to anoint Biden.
Verb
-
Earle is there to be supportive, and to slay a dragon in her best copyright-dodging Red Sonja fit.
-
Fun dads, at their best, are not dodging serious parenting.
Verb
-
More than 160 years earlier, Galileo's telescopic observations had revealed mountains, valleys, and craters on the lunar surface, overturning the ancient notion that heavenly bodies were perfect spheres.
-
The ruling is the latest in a series of Supreme Court decisions that have loosened campaign finance restrictions, overturning a 2001 precedent that upheld the spending limits.
Cite this Entry
“Avoiding.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/avoiding. Accessed 5 Jul. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
