avert — English Dictionary

Verb

1. To turn aside or away.

   Usage

   • Transitive

   Examples

   I averted my eyes while my friend typed in her password.

   When atheists and profane persons do hear of so many discordant and contrary opinions in religion, it doth avert them from the church.

2. To ward off, or prevent, the occurrence or effects of.

   Usage

   • Transitive

   Synonyms

   forestall

   Examples

   How can the danger be averted?

   Till ardent prayer averts the public woe.

   More examples (1)

   Indeed, there was some highly questionable jiggery-pokery with couplings and continuous brakes in this agreeable story, which featured Moore Marriott as an old driver who averts a disaster on his last run.

3. To turn away.

   Usage

   • Archaic
   • Intransitive

   Examples

   Cold and averting from our neighbour's good.

Verb

1. prevent the occurrence of; prevent from happening; to protect from or to keep away anything undesirable; to ward off

   Synonyms

   debarforefendforfendobviatedeflecthead offstave offfend offavoidward off

   Broader terms

   preventforestallforecloseprecludeforbid

   Examples

   Let's avoid a confrontation

   head off a confrontation

   More examples (1)

   avert a strike

2. turn away or aside

   Synonyms

   turn away

   Broader terms

   turn

   Examples

   They averted their eyes when the King entered