OBVIATE Synonyms: 73 Similar and Opposite Words

obviate

verb

ˈäb-vē-ˌāt

Definition of obviate

as in to prevent

to keep from happening by taking action in advance brushing regularly should obviate the need for frequent trips to the dentist

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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 obviate By that time, Brendan Carr will likely be last year’s model, obviating the need for any Carr insurance, as he is joined in retirement by Lina Khan on the far left. — Jeffrey Sonnenfeld, Fortune, 30 June 2026 There was that ever-present sense of hope combined with her dedication to being there, to being in the moment, that obviated an overabundance of sympathy. — Andy Greene, Rolling Stone, 23 June 2026 Naturally occurring tax revenues derived from economic growth would help obviate the need for Springfield’s seemingly endless quests for novel fees and tax ideas. — The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 21 June 2026 While there are no modular reactors up and running yet in the United States, Albrecht said some of those in the design phase will use molten salt, helium or liquid metal to help cool the fission process, obviating the need for large amounts of water. — John Aguilar, Denver Post, 7 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for obviate

Recent Examples of Synonyms for obviate

Verb

Anthropic contacted the task force to disclose the latest incident and has a history of reporting security episodes publicly and tweaking models to prevent more harm.

— Ashley Gold, semafor.com, 13 Oct. 2026
There are scores of websites, social-media groups, and YouTube channels dedicated to analyzing and documenting crashes, ostensibly with the goal of preventing future mishaps in flight.

— Sudarsan Raghavan, New Yorker, 12 Oct. 2026

Definition of prevent

Verb

Jackson averted a suspension ahead of this season when authorities declined to file formal criminal charges after he was arrested on suspicion of felony domestic violence.

— Steve Henson, Los Angeles Times, 13 Oct. 2026
In Spaceship Earth, when a mission to avert an imminent global cataclysm goes awry, a small band of teenagers from Earth’s past and future must join forces to confront a threat as vast and mysterious as time itself.

— Matt Grobar, Deadline, 12 Oct. 2026

Definition of avert

Verb

As a result, spoiler vigilance is no longer just a matter of not giving away the ending of a film; sometimes even simply describing its over-all dramatic shape is enough to preclude suspense.

— Richard Brody, New Yorker, 15 Oct. 2026
More customization and settings could come to existing apps, precluding the need for people to roll their own.

— Jacob Feldman, Sportico.com, 13 Oct. 2026

Definition of preclude

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obverses

obviate

obviated

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“Obviate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/obviate. Accessed 18 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of obviate

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