avert

verb

ə-ˈvərt How to pronounce avert (audio)
averted; averting; averts
Synonyms of avert

transitive verb

1
: to turn away or aside (the eyes, one's gaze, etc.) in avoidance
I found the sight so grotesque that I had to avert my eyes …—John Gregory Dunne
2
: to see coming and ward off : avoid
avert disaster

Synonyms of avert

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Examples of avert in a Sentence

He sped up and averted an accident. The diplomatic talks narrowly averted a war. an attempt to avert a strike at the plant
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
To avert future calamities, the forest outside Bordeaux must be thinned and its fire breaks widened, said Arthur Guérin-Turcq, a Sorbonne University geographer whose family cultivates pines near Le Porge. — Michael Finnegan, Los Angeles Times, 30 Aug. 2026 The settlement was reached during a California federal trial over claims brought by 29 states, averting one of the highest-profile tests yet of allegations that social media companies harmed young users. — Diana Novak Jones, USA Today, 26 Aug. 2026 They would have been averted if the two sides reached a trade deal, but Canada's negotiators left Washington empty-handed on Friday evening. — Kevin Breuninger,michael Wayland, CNBC, 24 Aug. 2026 Waymos are so much safer than human drivers that deploying them widely could avert countless injuries and deaths every year. — Rogé Karma, The Atlantic, 19 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for avert

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Middle French avertir, from Latin avertere, from ab- + vertere to turn — more at worth

First Known Use

circa 1563, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of avert was circa 1563

Phrases Containing avert

Rhymes for avert

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Browse Nearby Words

aversive
avert
Avertin
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Avert.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/avert. Accessed 1 Sep. 2026.

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Kids Definition

avert

verb
ə-ˈvərt How to pronounce avert (audio)
1
: to turn away
avert one's eyes
2
: to keep from happening
averted an accident
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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