averted; averting; averts
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
John Gregory Dunne2
: to see coming and ward off : avoid
avert disaster
Synonyms
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
Had both parties agreed to these terms then, thousands of Gazans might still be alive, and the recent destruction in the northern Gaza Strip could have been averted.
—Gershom Gorenberg, The Atlantic, 16 Jan. 2025
The aim is to prevent AI from emitting foul remarks, stop AI from plainly showcasing how to make bombs and other weapons, and even avert the vaunted existential risk that AI might one day opt to enslave or wipe out humankind.
—Lance Eliot, Forbes, 15 Jan. 2025
March funding showdown Congress is already staring down a mid-March deadline to pass legislation to keep the government funded — and some lawmakers are already signaling openness to the idea of tackling the debt ceiling as part a broader deal to avert a shutdown.
—Aris Folley, The Hill, 13 Jan. 2025
Dockworkers reach a tentative deal to avert a major strike.
—Andrew Ross Sorkin, New York Times, 9 Jan. 2025
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Gershom Gorenberg, The Atlantic, 16 Jan. 2025
The aim is to prevent AI from emitting foul remarks, stop AI from plainly showcasing how to make bombs and other weapons, and even avert the vaunted existential risk that AI might one day opt to enslave or wipe out humankind.
—Lance Eliot, Forbes, 15 Jan. 2025
March funding showdown Congress is already staring down a mid-March deadline to pass legislation to keep the government funded — and some lawmakers are already signaling openness to the idea of tackling the debt ceiling as part a broader deal to avert a shutdown.
—Aris Folley, The Hill, 13 Jan. 2025
Dockworkers reach a tentative deal to avert a major strike.
—Andrew Ross Sorkin, New York Times, 9 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for avert
Dictionary Entries Near avert
Cite this Entry
“Avert.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/avert. Accessed 22 Jan. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
avert
verb1
: to turn away
avert one's eyes
2
: to keep from happening
averted an accident
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