avoid
verb OPAL WOPAL S
/əˈvɔɪd/
/əˈvɔɪd/
Verb Forms
Idioms | present simple I / you / we / they avoid | /əˈvɔɪd/ /əˈvɔɪd/ |
| he / she / it avoids | /əˈvɔɪdz/ /əˈvɔɪdz/ |
| past simple avoided | /əˈvɔɪdɪd/ /əˈvɔɪdɪd/ |
| past participle avoided | /əˈvɔɪdɪd/ /əˈvɔɪdɪd/ |
| -ing form avoiding | /əˈvɔɪdɪŋ/ /əˈvɔɪdɪŋ/ |
- to prevent something bad from happening
- avoid something to avoid conflict/confrontation
- We must find a way to avoid similar problems in future.
- They narrowly avoided defeat.
- The name was changed to avoid confusion with another firm.
- The accident could have been avoided.
- Efforts are being made to avoid war at all costs.
- avoid doing something They built a wall to avoid soil being washed away.
Extra Examples- It is sometimes impossible to avoid conflict altogether.
- They are anxious to avoid any further misunderstandings.
- Most of these problems could have been easily avoided.
- The authorities are eager to avoid bad publicity.
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadverb- altogether
- actively
- assiduously
- …
- be anxious to
- want to
- wish to
- …
- an attempt to avoid something
- an effort to avoid something
- to keep away from somebody/something; to try not to do something
- avoid somebody/something He's been avoiding me all week.
- She kept avoiding my eyes (= avoided looking at me).
- By staying at home he manages to avoid all contact with strangers.
- Certain foods should be avoided during pregnancy.
- I left early to avoid the rush hour.
- avoid doing something He tried to avoid paying his taxes and was taken to court.
More Like This Verbs usually followed by -ing formsVerbs usually followed by -ing forms- avoid
- consider
- delay
- deny
- enjoy
- escape
- finish
- give up
- imagine
- involve
- mention
- mind
- miss
- postpone
- practise
- resist
- risk
- suggest
Extra Examples- I've been avoiding getting down to work all day.
- You should avoid mentioning his divorce.
- The two men carefully avoided one another.
- I scrupulously avoid artificial additives when I buy food.
- He was careful to avoid any sentimentality in his speech.
- She pointedly avoided looking at him when she spoke.
- Getting involved in a court case is something to be avoided at all costs.
- He deftly avoided answering the question.
- He failed in his attempt to avoid having to pay.
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadverb- altogether
- actively
- assiduously
- …
- be anxious to
- want to
- wish to
- …
- an attempt to avoid something
- an effort to avoid something
- avoid something to prevent yourself from hitting something
- The car swerved to avoid a cat.
Extra Examples- He braked hard and narrowly avoided a parked van.
- They ducked to avoid a low branch.
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadverb- narrowly
- brake to
- slow to
- slow down to
- …
Word Originlate Middle English: from Old French evuider ‘clear out, get rid of’, from vuide ‘empty’, related to Latin vacare ‘vacate’.
Idioms
avoid somebody/something like the plague
- (informal) to try very hard not to meet somebody, do something, etc.
- She's been avoiding me like the plague since the party last Saturday.
- I hate office parties—I avoid them like the plague.
to fall into/avoid the trap of doing something
- to do/avoid doing something that is a mistake but that seems at first to be a good idea
- Parents often fall into the trap of trying to do everything for their children.
- The movie avoids the trap of spending too much time explaining things.