Prevent the occurrence of; prevent from happening "avert a strike" - debar, forefend, forfend, obviate, deflect, head off, stave off, fend off, avoid, ward off
Turn away or aside "They averted their eyes when the King entered" - turn away
Derived forms: averted, averts, averting
See also: aversion, avertible
Type of: forbid, foreclose, forestall, preclude, prevent, turn