as in preventing
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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Recent Examples of obviating
Dan Lawrence’s son, Luke, piloting Ariel, which once belonged to the Roosevelts’ neighbor Archie Rogers, took the first heat, and then the second, obviating the need for a third.
—
Ben McGrath, New Yorker, 23 Feb. 2026
That is more than enough space to build a new arena, obviating the need to demolish City Hall for that purpose.
—Mark Lamster
architecture Critic, Dallas Morning News, 14 Jan. 2026
Even the hefty, vintage camcorder Matthew totes around to film his documentary drops us directly into his leering point of view, crash zooming in on Oliver’s face and obviating boundaries.
—Eric Torres, Pitchfork, 27 Aug. 2025
Ben McGrath, New Yorker, 23 Feb. 2026
That is more than enough space to build a new arena, obviating the need to demolish City Hall for that purpose.
—Mark Lamster
architecture Critic, Dallas Morning News, 14 Jan. 2026
Even the hefty, vintage camcorder Matthew totes around to film his documentary drops us directly into his leering point of view, crash zooming in on Oliver’s face and obviating boundaries.
—Eric Torres, Pitchfork, 27 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for obviating
Verb
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The loss dropped the Celtics to 38-20, preventing them from clearing a benchmark all but three NBA champions since 1980 have cleared.—
Zack Cox,
Boston Herald,
26 Feb. 2026
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Autonomous vehicles hold the exciting promise of preventing deaths and injuries caused by behavioral factors, including impaired driving, if deployed responsibly and safely and in collaboration with the right community and city stakeholders.—
Adam Harrington,
CBS News,
25 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Comfort says there is no single formula for averting conflict, but Crisis Group has learned important lessons in its three decades.—
John T. Shaw,
Chicago Tribune,
23 Feb. 2026
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Instead of fluids, the doctor ordered dopamine to raise the patient’s blood pressure without adding volume—averting what Hart believed could have led to a life-threatening complication.—
Hilke Schellmann,
Scientific American,
17 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Debris from hydraulic mining, using water cannons to blast away dirt in search of gold, built up in Northern California rivers, precluding larger steamboats from traveling on them, the California State Lands Commission report said.—
Don Sweeney,
Sacbee.com,
27 Jan. 2026
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The judge signed a temporary protection order requiring Davenport to stay away from the victim and precluding him from owning a firearm.—
Quinlan Bentley,
Cincinnati Enquirer,
23 Oct. 2025
Verb
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But the woman avoiding his gaze was about to save his life.—
Théoden Janes,
Charlotte Observer,
26 Feb. 2026
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According to iS Clinical, a small amount is best tapped along the eye area, avoiding the inner corners.—
Iman Balagam,
Vogue,
26 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Obviating.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/obviating. Accessed 28 Feb. 2026.
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