The following is a collection of synonyms for the word avoid, simple, advanced and idioms, which will surely extend your English vocabulary.
Simple Alternatives For Avoid
- “He tried his best to dodge the bull”.
To put it simply, to dodge something is to move out of the way of an oncoming thing.
- “The bull however did not miss him”.
(Not to be confused with the title ‘miss’ given to unmarried women) this word is used when something does not hit a target. You can also miss a meeting, for example.
- “There was no escape from the bull”.
You can escape a fire, prison, a meeting, for example. To escape simply means to away from something which is often undesirable.
- “He failed to sidestep the bull”.
Literally meaning to physically step to the side, this word means to move out of the way, both physically and figuratively.
- “Let me divert your attention away from the bull”.
To divert something is to bring it away from where it currently is. For example, you can divert traffic, meaning it will go a different direction.
- “Never before did he shun the work until now”.
Personally, I feel this small and interesting word isn’t used often enough. To shun is to turn away from something or turn something down, like work or responsibility, for example.
More Advanced Synonyms
If you want to take things up a notch, here are some more obscure synonyms for avoid. These words mean the same thing as avoid, only not everyone is familiar with them.
- “He decided it would be best to abstain from violence”.
This word, often used in a political environment, is a great way to say ‘stay away from’ in one word. It means to say no to or to decline something.
- “With great skill she attempted to elude her opponent”.
This word often relates to confusion and secretive means – to elude, is to get away from something by using skill.
- “To eschew his boss would cause him big trouble”.
A very uncommon word, this will impress many. Similar to shun and elude, to eschew a person, for example, is to ignore or to stay away from them.
- “Never has it been more difficult to evade the crisis”.
Evade, like dodge and escape, means simply to get away from something.
Here’s an idiom which people often use instead of using single words like ‘avoid’:
Steer Clear Of
- “It would be wise to steer clear of him because he’s crazy”
This driving-related expression means literally to steer oneself away from something – imagine a car steering away from a dangerous object.
If you want to use English in a common way, this expression is quite useful.