An expert is someone who knows some of the worst mistakes that can be made in his field, and how to avoid them.
Source: tatoeba (1795)
Avoid
/əˈvɔɪd/
Synonyms for "avoid" (222 found)
Ranked by relevance and common usage.
Closest matches (45)
Verb(18 words)
Strong matches (66)
Related words (111)
Verb(33 words)
Noun(20 words)
Determiner(2 words)
no forceno tearing
Adjective(2 words)
untouchedwell worn refrain
Choosing the right synonym
- Closest matches in this entry: avert, dodge, eschew, evade, shun.
- Sentence evidence is available for avoid, so synonym choice can be checked against real usage rather than a flat word list.
- Ranking signals come from wiktionary, wordnet, opengloss, moby, and related lexical sources.
Synonym selection checklist
- Match the part of speech before comparing meanings.
- Check whether the synonym changes intensity, formality, or emotional tone.
- Read the replacement inside the full sentence, not just beside "avoid".
- Prefer the clearest word over the most unusual word when writing for speed or comprehension.
When not to replace "avoid"
Keep "avoid" when the sentence already sounds natural, when a synonym would add unintended emphasis, or when readers need the most familiar wording. A synonym should clarify or sharpen the message, not simply make the sentence look more varied.
If two options seem close, choose the one that best matches the audience and purpose of the sentence.
Replacement workflow
1. Preserve meaning
Choose a synonym only if it keeps the core idea of "avoid" intact in the sentence you are editing.
2. Tune tone
Check whether the replacement sounds more formal, casual, emotional, technical, or forceful than the original word.
3. Re-read context
Read the full sentence after the swap. Keep the synonym only when the sentence becomes clearer or more precise.
Review note: Synonym lists are ranked with lexical data and reviewed for practical writing value. Use the comparison notes, sentence evidence, and source labels together; a high-ranking synonym can still be wrong when the audience, register, or grammar changes.
Final fit check
After choosing a replacement for "avoid", read the sentence once for meaning and once for rhythm. The best synonym should feel natural in the full sentence, not only accurate in a word list.
If the synonym makes the sentence slower, vaguer, or more dramatic than intended, keep "avoid" or choose a simpler alternative from the closest-match group.
Related word relations
OpenGloss and ConceptNet supply richer edges like generalizations, collocations, and derivations.
More general
21 entriesShowing 16 of 21 words.
More specific
6 entriesCollocations
6 entriesInflections
3 entriesDerivations
4 entriesAntonyms
1 entriesTranslations
20 translations across 15 languages.
Albanian
2 entries- shmang verb (to try not to be hit; to give way)
- shmang verb (to try not to do something)
Azerbaijani
1 entries- saqınmaq verb (to try not to do something)
Basque
1 entries- itzuri verb (to try not to be hit; to give way)
Catalan
1 entries- evitar verb (to try not to be hit; to give way)
French
1 entries- éviter verb (to try not to be hit; to give way)
German
2 entries- ausweichen verb (to try not to be hit; to give way)
- vermeiden verb (to try not to do something)
Hungarian
1 entries- elkerül verb (to try not to be hit; to give way)
Italian
2 entries- evitare verb (to try not to be hit; to give way)
- schivare verb (to try not to be hit; to give way)
Latin
1 entries- desum verb (to try not to be hit; to give way)
Marathi
1 entries- टाळणे verb (to try not to do something)
Ottoman Turkish
1 entries- قاچمق verb (to try not to be hit; to give way)
Portuguese
1 entries- evitar verb (to try not to be hit; to give way)
Sicilian
2 entries- javitari verb (to try not to be hit; to give way)
- sgavitari verb (to try not to be hit; to give way)
Spanish
2 entries- esquivar verb (to try not to be hit; to give way)
- evitar verb (to try not to be hit; to give way)
Turkish
1 entries- kaçınmak verb (to try not to be hit; to give way)
Sample sentences
33 total sentences available.
I avoid crossing the street here if I am in a hurry.
Source: tatoeba (19727)
Thanks to the opportunity, we were able to avoid substantial effort.
Source: tatoeba (20490)
It is essential to keep calm in a time of crisis and avoid going haywire.
Source: tatoeba (20711)
Showing 4 of 33 available sentences.
Common questions
What are the closest synonyms for "avoid"?
Closest matches include avert, dodge, eschew, evade, shun.
How should I check whether a synonym fits "avoid"?
Compare the replacement against real sentence context. This entry includes sample sentences so you can check tone, grammar, and meaning before swapping words.