Avoiding
/əˈvɔɪdɪŋ/
Definitions
To stay clear of; to prevent oneself from coming into contact with.
/əˈvɔɪdɪŋ/
To prevent something from happening; to keep away from.
She is avoiding contact with her ex-boyfriend.
💡 Simply: To keep away from something.
More Examples
They tried to avoid the argument, but it was inevitable.
How It's Used
"I'm avoiding sugary drinks to improve my health."
"He swerved to avoid hitting the pedestrian."
Idioms & expressions
avoid like the plague
To avoid something completely and thoroughly because it is unpleasant or dangerous.
"He avoids that restaurant like the plague after a bad experience."
From Old French eschiver, from eschever 'to shun, avoid,' from Vulgar Latin *ex-cadere 'to fall out of,' from Latin cadere 'to fall.'
The word 'avoid' has been used in a similar sense since the Middle English period, often emphasizing escape or evasion.
Memory tip
Imagine 'void' – creating an empty space to avoid something.