avoid

Verb

Verb Forms: avoided, avoiding, avoids

To keep away from or stop oneself from doing something.
stay clear from; keep away from; keep out of the way of someone or something
- "Her former friends now avoid her"
prevent the occurrence of; prevent from happening
- "Let's avoid a confrontation"
refrain from doing something
- "He should avoid publishing his wife's memories"
refrain from certain foods or beverages
- "During Ramadan, Muslims avoid tobacco during the day"
declare invalid
To try not to meet or communicate with (a person); to shun.
To stay out of the way of (something harmful).
To keep away from; to keep clear of; to stay away from.
To try not to do something or to have something happen.
To make empty; to clear.
To make void, to annul; to refute (especially a contract).
To defeat or evade; to invalidate.
To emit or throw out; to void.
To leave, evacuate; to leave as empty, to withdraw or come away from.
To get rid of.
To retire; to withdraw, depart, go away.
To become void or vacant.

Examples

I avoided the slap easily.
I try to avoid leaving an open triple-word lane for my opponent.
I try to avoid the company of gamblers.
One town was flooded from the storm, while the other town avoided the storm.

Origin / Etymology

From Middle English avoiden, from Anglo-Norman avoider, Old French esvuidier (“to empty out”), from es- + vuidier, from Vulgar Latin *vocitāre < Vulgar Latin *vocitum, ultimately related to Latin vacuus. Displaced native Old English forbūgan (literally “to bend away from”).

Synonyms

annul, avert, debar, deflect, fend off, forefend, forfend, head off, invalidate, keep off, nullify, obviate, quash, stave off, void, ward off, abjure, avoid, dodge, duck, elude, escape, eschew, evade, evitate, get away from, help, long off, sack off, shun, shy away from, sidestep, skirt, steer clear, swerve, waive

Antonyms

confront, validate, come to grips with, deal with, engage, get to grips with, take the bull by the horns

Scrabble Score: 9

avoid: valid Scrabble (US) TWL Word
avoid: valid Scrabble Word in Merriam-Webster MW Dictionary
avoid: valid Scrabble Word in International Collins CSW Dictionary

Words With Friends Score: 10

avoid: valid Words With Friends Word