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
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
Eric Torres, Pitchfork, 27 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for obviating
Verb
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Through several administrations, the filibuster has been weaponized on both sides, preventing the governing party from passing key legislations—including blocking civil rights legislation.—
Giulia Carbonaro,
MSNBC Newsweek,
31 Oct. 2025
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Since then, they've been forced to work remotely — at a time when the government was doling out return-to-office mandates — preventing access to labs and crippling the center's mission of embedding NASA climate scientists within international academia.—
Josh Dinner,
Space.com,
31 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Broadway musicians have reached a tentative agreement on a new contract, averting the possibility of a strike.—
Caitlin Huston,
HollywoodReporter,
23 Oct. 2025
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Since then, a nonprofit called Mirror Biology Dialogues Fund has sponsored a series of meetings to develop recommendations aimed at averting the threat scientists think mirror life could pose.—
Katie Hunt,
CNN Money,
17 Oct. 2025
Verb
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By comparison, the workouts many people think of as HIIT involve way longer work intervals and much shorter rest periods, precluding the same level of intensity.—
Marissa Gold,
SELF,
9 Oct. 2025
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But the Republic never received any further communication about this request or any data, precluding progress.—
Joan Meiners,
AZCentral.com,
29 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Linda Kenney Baden, a legal analyst and defense attorney whose past clients have included Aaron Hernandez, Phil Spector and Casey Anthony, said Robinson's defense may be more focused on avoiding the death penalty than proving his innocence.—
Michael Ruiz,
FOXNews.com,
29 Oct. 2025
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The writers mold a peculiar premise in their screenplay by avoiding another dime-a-dozen found footage spectacle, instead turning a very careful eye toward the real-life atrocities committed by the church — plus some genuine scares.—
Michael Lee Simpson,
Entertainment Weekly,
29 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Obviating.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/obviating. Accessed 5 Nov. 2025.
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