avoid — to stay away from someone or something; to prevent something bad from happening
Part of speech: VERB
Definition: to stay away from someone or something; to prevent something bad from happening
Pronunciation (IPA): /əˈvɔɪd/
Example Sentences
- My cat avoids water like it's lava.
- Students avoid the library during exam week... wait, that doesn't sound right.
- To avoid being late, I always set multiple alarms.
avoid
VERB[/əˈvɔɪd/]
to stay away from someone or something; to prevent something bad from happening

She swerves her bike to avoid a giant puddle on the road.
Got the picture? Now let's practice.
🎤Pronunciation
🌳Etymology
Origin
From Old French 'avoider' meaning 'to empty out' or 'to leave vacant', derived from Vulgar Latin 'avidare', ultimately from Latin 'viduare' meaning 'to empty'. The prefix 'a-' means 'away' and the root relates to making something void or empty.
Breakdown
a- (away from) + void (empty, vacant) = avoid (to keep away from; to make empty/vacant)
🎵Rhyme
🔗Collocations
📝Examples
“My cat avoids water like it's lava.”
“Students avoid the library during exam week... wait, that doesn't sound right.”
“To avoid being late, I always set multiple alarms.”
“He avoids spicy food because he can't handle the heat.”
📚Related Words
Synonyms
Antonyms
Related
Want to master 19,000+ words?
Sign up free for flashcards & quizzes.