avoid

Avoid is a transitive verb meaning to keep away from or to prevent something from happening, or to refrain from doing something. It typically takes a direct object, as in avoid danger, avoid contact with a chemical, or avoid a mistake. It can also take a gerund, as in avoiding late-night snacking, and the related noun form is avoidance.

Etymology: The word comes from Middle English avoiden, from Old French eviter, from Latin evītāre "to shun," formed from ex- "out" + via "way."

Usage and nuance: Avoid implies deliberate choice or strategy to prevent an outcome or to minimize risk, cost, or discomfort. It differs from prevent, which often denotes causing something not to occur; avoid emphasizes evading an encounter. In some contexts, especially safety or health, avoidance is a neutral term, while avoidance can carry psychological connotations when referring to coping styles or phobias. In everyday speech, avoid is commonly used with phrases such as avoid talking about, avoid contact, and avoid doing something.

Related terms: Synonyms include shun, elude, dodge, and sidestep; related forms include avoidance and avoidant. Common collocations include steer clear of and avoidance strategies. In finance, tax avoidance is a neutral term, whereas tax evasion refers to illegal avoidance of taxes.