English verb: avoid | |||
1. | avoid (communication) stay clear from; keep away from; keep out of the way of someone or something | ||
Samples | Her former friends now avoid her. | ||
Pattern of use | Somebody ----s something. Somebody ----s somebody | ||
Narrower (hyponym) | bypass, circumvent, dodge, duck, elude, escape, escape, eschew, evade, fudge, get around, get away, get by, get off, get out, go around, hedge, keep off, miss, parry, put off, shirk, short-circuit, shun, shy away from, sidestep, skirt, stay off | ||
Antonyms | face, face up, confront | ||
2. | avoid (social) prevent the occurrence of; prevent from happening | ||
Samples | Let's avoid a confrontation. Head off a confrontation. Avert a strike. | ||
Synonyms | avert, debar, deflect, fend off, forefend, forfend, head off, obviate, stave off, ward off | ||
Pattern of use | Somebody ----s something. Something ----s something | ||
Broader (hypernym) | forbid, foreclose, forestall, preclude, prevent | ||
3. | avoid (social) refrain from doing something | ||
Samples | She refrains from calling her therapist too often. He should avoid publishing his wife's memories. | ||
Pattern of use | Somebody ----s VERB-ing | ||
Narrower (hyponym) | fiddle, goldbrick, shirk, shrink from | ||
4. | avoid (consumption) refrain from certain foods or beverages | ||
Samples | I keep off drugs. During Ramadan, Muslims avoid tobacco during the day. | ||
Synonyms | keep off | ||
Pattern of use | Somebody ----s something | ||
Broader (hypernym) | abstain, desist, refrain | ||
5. | avoid (social) declare invalid | ||
Samples | The contract was annulled. Void a plea. | ||
Synonyms | annul, invalidate, nullify, quash, void | ||
Pattern of use | Somebody ----s something. Something ----s something | ||
Broader (hypernym) | cancel, strike down | ||
Narrower (hyponym) | break, stet | ||
Antonyms | validate, formalise, formalize | ||