1
as in evading
to get or keep away from (as a responsibility) through cleverness or trickery
trying to avoid writing thank-you notes for the gifts he didn't like
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in abolishing
to put an end to by formal action
asked the court to avoid the contract because it was signed under duress
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of avoiding
Managing heartburn is more effective by eating smaller portions and avoiding late night meals.
—
Maggie O'Neill, Verywell Health, 8 Jan. 2026
Green Bay Packers quarterback Jordan Love has done a great job of avoiding interceptions throughout this season.
—Steve Megargee, Twin Cities, 8 Jan. 2026
Topics include how to raise money, building stronger donor relationships and avoiding common pitfalls.
—Jessica Tzikas, Sun Sentinel, 8 Jan. 2026
Naming ultraprocessed foods Another difference is that the new recommendations specifically call out avoiding ultraprocessed foods.
—Cristina Palacios, The Conversation, 8 Jan. 2026
Previous nutrition guidelines suggested minimizing or avoiding full-fat dairy and all types of fat, including healthy and saturated.
—Bailey Allen, The Providence Journal, 8 Jan. 2026
These leggings are the remedy to avoiding that.
—Olivia Dubyak, InStyle, 8 Jan. 2026
These risks have prompted the United States, China, and other spacefaring nations to develop advanced systems for tracking, avoiding, and potentially removing orbital debris.
—Micah McCartney, MSNBC Newsweek, 6 Nov. 2025
The irobot Roomba saves space with its mini home base and utilizes smart technology to map out a space and clean in precise rows while avoiding furniture.
—Nashia Baker, Architectural Digest, 5 Nov. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for avoiding
Verb
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Prokop faces four misdemeanor charges, including one count of a violation of bond — protective order, one count of evading arrest or detention and two counts of resisting arrest, search or transportation.—
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Authorities told Fox News Digital Prokop faces four misdemeanor charges — one count of violation of bond or protective order, one count of evading arrest or detention and two counts of resisting arrest, search or transportation.—
Verb
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Trump has urged Republicans to have a simple majority to approve legislation, whether through reconciliation or by abolishing the Senate filibuster.—
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In the ancient Mauryan Empire in India, Ashoka may also have temporarily reduced slavery by abolishing slave trading, but this change too was not permanent.—
Verb
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Her grandfather, George Craig, had made his way there after escaping enslavement with the aid of John Brown, and was working as a barber in the town of Grinnell.—
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Regardless of our paths — whether that meant escaping war in Ethiopia or being the grandchildren of Holocaust survivors — many of us labor under the belief that this work requires us to commit to the ideals of this nation and not the indignation and nightmare of the insurrection.—
Verb
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In his opening moves as mayor, Mamdani signed executive orders dealing with housing and one repealing all of former Mayor Eric Adams’s executive orders signed after his indictment on corruption charges in September 2024.—
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Third, negotiators must start by repealing the Gainful Employment Rule, especially since the OBBBA will replace it with the earnings premium.—
Verb
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Tips to Prevent Pipes from Freezing Insulation is key in preventing frozen pipes, which means plumbing in areas like attics, exterior walls, outdoor pipes, and crawl spaces, will likely require extra insulation.—
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The Kolhan regional chief forest conservator, Smita Pankaj, also told the Times that the agencies were mainly focused on preventing any further casualties.—
Verb
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From a portable power bank to keep your phone charged to noise-canceling headphones that will drown out stressful sounds, these travel accessories will help nervous fliers and frequent travelers alike have easier journeys.—
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But in Japan, there’s no legal recourse and canceling a location shoot with short notice is an accepted part of the culture.—
Verb
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Wardlaw's flimsy pretext is the go-to move of those dodging transparency.—
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Trying to keep up with tariff news, especially as a consumer who isn't necessarily an expert in economic policy, can feel like dodging sporadic jump scares.—
Verb
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Oral arguments in November went badly for the administration, and prediction markets currently put 70% odds on the Supreme Court overturning the tariffs.—
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Donald filed for an appeal in February 1997, and a court heard his pleas in 2015 before overturning his convictions.—
Cite this Entry
“Avoiding.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/avoiding. Accessed 13 Jan. 2026.
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