avertverb [ T ]
uk/əˈvɜːt/us/əˈvɝːt/avert verb [ T ] (PREVENT)
to prevent something bad from happening:
to avert a crisis/conflict/strike/famine
to avert disaster/economic collapse
Synonym
avoid
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
Preventing and impeding
- avoid
- avoidable
- bar
- be a drag on sb/sth idiom
- block sth out
- blot
- bottleneck
- derail
- fireproof
- hold out on sb
- hold sb/sth back
- hold/keep sb/sth at bay idiom
- holding pattern
- impede
- prevention
- prevention is better than cure idiom
- preventive
- prohibit
- pull
- scuttle
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avert verb [ T ] (TURN)
to turn away your eyes or thoughts:
I averted my gaze/eyes while he dressed.
We tried to avert our thoughts from our massive financial problems.
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
Using the eyes
- before your very eyes idiom
- beheld
- bore
- breathe
- come to sb's attention/notice idiom
- eye
- feast
- gawk
- get a load of that! idiom
- get him, her, you, etc.! idiom
- glance
- keep tabs on sth/sb idiom
- look-see
- observational
- out of/from the corner of your eye idiom
- passer-by
- rest
- sneak
- squint
- visual
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