Synonyms of avoiding

avoiding

verb

present participle of avoid

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

• evading
• escaping
• preventing
• dodging
• eliminating
• deflecting
• shunning
• eschewing
• eluding
• shaking
• circumventing
• thwarting
• ducking
• excluding
• shirking
• shuffling (out of)
• precluding
• missing
• scaping
• diverting
• averting
• obviating
• keeping clear of
• finessing
• steering clear of
• fighting shy of
• bypassing
• getting around
• staying clear of
• parrying
• banning
• weaseling (out of)
• excepting
• debarring
• warding (off)
• barring
• ruling out
• outwitting
• foiling
• outsmarting
• skirting
• frustrating
• overreaching
• outfoxing
• foxing

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• seeking
• pursuing
• accepting
• embracing
• catching
• courting
• welcoming
• contracting
• incurring

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

• abolishing
• repealing
• canceling
• overturning
• vacating
• voiding
• invalidating
• dismissing
• nullifying
• negating
• dissolving
• quashing
• withdrawing
• abrogating
• rescinding
• suspending
• annulling
• revoking
• reversing
• eliminating
• rolling back
• setting aside
• doing away with
• striking down
• abating
• removing
• rejecting
• vetoing
• nulling
• retracting
• forbidding
• prohibiting
• overruling
• recalling
• overriding
• banning
• disannulling
• erasing
• outlawing
• aborting
• eradicating
• enjoining
• calling
• disallowing
• countermanding
• dropping
• calling off
• annihilating
• liquidating
• writing off
• throwing out
• breaking down

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• enacting
• establishing
• instituting
• laying down
• passing
• founding
• validating
• legislating
• permitting
• allowing
• approving
• authorizing
• ratifying
• endorsing
• clearing
• prescribing
• ordering
• legitimizing
• warranting
• legalizing
• mandating
• formalizing
• commanding
• legitimating
• sanctioning
• decreeing

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of avoiding

Kushner so far has participated little in the ceremony of the job, avoiding most receptions and ribbon cuttings. — Lauren Collins, New Yorker, 26 Oct. 2026

Exercise, avoiding alcohol or even getting enough sleep aren’t the factors most connected to college students’ well-being. — Roxanne Prichard, The Conversation, 26 Oct. 2026

And some consumers are actively avoiding places that are private equity backed – expecting high prices, low quality, and an unsettling sameness to the food. — Brittany Luse, NPR, 26 Oct. 2026

Providers generally advise avoiding alcohol, blood-thinning pain relievers and certain supplements for several days before and after to limit bruising. — Hanna Wickes, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 26 Oct. 2026

The device could amplify or switch electrical signals while avoiding the bulk and power demands of vacuum tubes. — Kaif Shaikh, Interesting Engineering, 25 Oct. 2026

The assembly is designed to remain self-contained, avoiding the need to disconnect individual fuel lines. — New Atlas, 25 Oct. 2026

In these situations, withdrawing into a literal or symbolic dark room—avoiding sources of stress and going to a safe place—can be adaptive in the short term. — Maia Szalavitz, Scientific American, 20 Oct. 2026

This is why the American Heart Association recommends avoiding open flames and high temperatures while grilling. — Laura Bradley, HEALTH, 17 Oct. 2026