obviate
verb /ˈɒbvieɪt/
/ˈɑːbvieɪt/
(formal)Verb Forms
| present simple I / you / we / they obviate | /ˈɒbvieɪt/ /ˈɑːbvieɪt/ |
| he / she / it obviates | /ˈɒbvieɪts/ /ˈɑːbvieɪts/ |
| past simple obviated | /ˈɒbvieɪtɪd/ /ˈɑːbvieɪtɪd/ |
| past participle obviated | /ˈɒbvieɪtɪd/ /ˈɑːbvieɪtɪd/ |
| -ing form obviating | /ˈɒbvieɪtɪŋ/ /ˈɑːbvieɪtɪŋ/ |
- obviate something to remove a problem or the need for something synonym preclude
- This new evidence obviates the need for any further enquiries.
- Disaster was obviated by the opening of the reserve parachute.
Oxford Collocations DictionaryObviate is used with these nouns as the object:- necessity
- need
Word Originlate 16th cent.: from late Latin obviat- ‘prevented’, from the verb obviare, based on Latin via ‘way’.