as long as you avoid

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "as long as you avoid" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to indicate a condition or requirement that must be met in order to achieve a certain outcome. Example: "You can participate in the event as long as you avoid any behavior that disrupts others."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Wiki

Travel

Lifestyle

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

34 human-written examples

"As long as you avoid fraud".

The Guardian - Opinion

That's true – as long as you avoid costly mistakes.

The New York Times

"Chemotherapy can be used safely as long as you avoid certain agents," he said.

The New York Times

For everything else, the "doctrine of the mean" applies, meaning that as long as you avoid extremes, everything is permitted.

The Guardian - Lifestyle

Georgetown is now safe at night as long as you avoid the obvious rundown areas and avoid being too ostentatious.

The Guardian - Travel

Spieth had the scoreboard turning at the second, a doddle for these boys as long as you avoid trouble of the tee.

Independent

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

23 human-written examples

You either failed or you passed, and success meant that, as long as you avoided trouble and kept up the paperwork, you'd never have to take another driving exam in the state of Missouri.

The New Yorker

As long as you avoided the border, the worst that could happen was that you'd be spied on and picked up and interrogated, do prison time and have your life wrecked.

The New Yorker

AS long as you can avoid slathering it with grease or dusting it (lightly or otherwise) with flour, the iPad beats a mobile phone and a laptop for overall kitchen-counter friendliness, and is poised to be an indispensable tool, once enough of the cookbooks we all love go digital.

The New York Times - Food

As long as you can avoid chatting the day away, being together could help to spark mutual creativity and productivity.

Huffington Post

As long as you remember to avoid black objects, your assistant should answer "No".

WikiHow

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "as long as you avoid", clearly state what should be avoided and the positive outcome that results from that avoidance. This makes the condition and its consequence explicit for the reader.

Common error

Avoid using "as long as you avoid" without specifying what the subject needs to avoid. For example, instead of saying "The trip will be fine as long as you avoid", be specific: "The trip will be fine as long as you "avoid traveling alone at night"".

Linguistic Context

The phrase "as long as you avoid" functions as a conditional conjunction, introducing a clause that specifies a condition necessary for a particular outcome. It sets up a scenario where a desired result is achievable contingent upon evading a specific action or situation, Ludwig confirms this usage pattern.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

52%

Wiki

20%

Lifestyle

12%

Less common in

Travel

8%

Formal & Business

4%

Science

4%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "as long as you avoid" is a versatile conditional conjunction used to indicate that a positive outcome is contingent upon avoiding a specific action or situation. As Ludwig AI indicates, the phrase is grammatically sound and frequently used in various contexts, particularly in news, lifestyle, and travel writing. When using this phrase, clarity is paramount; specify what needs to be avoided for the desired outcome to be achieved. Alternatives such as "provided you steer clear of" or "if you refrain from" can offer nuanced variations in meaning. Remember that clarity and specifying the thing to be avoided is the key, because the omission of that specific information might create ambiguity.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

if you refrain from

Focuses on the act of holding back from doing something.

provided you steer clear of

Emphasizes deliberately staying away from something.

as far as you keep away from

Indicates maintaining a distance from something or someone.

only if you stay clear of

Highlights that something is permitted exclusively if something other is untouched.

on the condition that you evade

More formal and emphasizes the specific requirement to dodge something.

assuming you circumvent

Highlights a proactive approach to bypass something.

so long as you dodge

Implies quick movement to get out of the way.

given that you bypass

Suggests passing around or going around something.

contingent on your abstaining from

Highly formal, implies voluntarily choosing not to do something.

in case you eschew

Implies a deliberate and conscious avoidance, often of something morally questionable.

FAQs

How can I rephrase "as long as you avoid" in a sentence?

You can use alternatives like "provided that you steer clear of", "if you refrain from", or "so long as you dodge" depending on the context.

Is it grammatically correct to use "as long as you avoid"?

Yes, "as long as you avoid" is grammatically correct and commonly used to express a condition that requires circumventing something in order to achieve a desired result. Ludwig confirms this with numerous examples.

What's the difference between "as long as you avoid" and "unless you avoid"?

"As long as you avoid" implies a positive condition dependent on avoidance, while "unless you avoid" implies a negative condition dependent on avoidance. For example, "You'll be safe as long as you avoid the bad neighborhood" suggests safety through avoidance. "You won't be safe unless you avoid the bad neighborhood" suggests safety is only possible with avoidance.

What kind of situations is "as long as you avoid" most suitable for?

The phrase "as long as you avoid" is suitable for offering advice, setting expectations, or describing situations where a positive outcome hinges on preventing certain actions or conditions. For instance, using "As long as you avoid" when traveling or interacting with certain products that have some limitations.