avoidably

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "avoidably" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used when discussing situations or actions that can be avoided or prevented. Example: "The delays in the project were avoidably caused by poor planning and miscommunication."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

29 human-written examples

Death rates from treatable conditions such as diarrhoea, malaria, measles and respiratory infections are shamefully and avoidably high because of a shortage not of drugs but of health workers.

The Economist

Jan Tregelles, the chief executive of the charity Mencap, said: "Twelve hundred people with a learning disability are dying avoidably in the NHS every year.

The Guardian

But it could be worse: 1,200 people with a learning disability die avoidably in the NHS every year.

The Guardian

At the end of every cut the chancellor makes to local authorities is a woman who will die, avoidably, at the hands of a man who promised to love her.

The Guardian - Opinion

In contrast, typical examples of dangerous driving given by the Crown Prosecution Service include going too fast, driving aggressively, ignoring road signs, overtaking dangerously or being avoidably and dangerously distracted.

The Guardian - Opinion

This leads to "many thousands" of patients dying avoidably every year, an unacceptable situation that threatens the NHS's integrity, he said.

The Guardian

But it also found that the NHS is wasting money because it has failed to reduce the number of patients ending up being admitted avoidably to hospital.

The Guardian

But without that acceptance, more NHS resources are avoidably burdened as our children develop secondary pathologies, appearing repeatedly in accident and emergency wards after suicide attempts and chronic self-harming incidents.

The Guardian

Explaining the risk posed by variation in the quality of NHS care, Prior added: "This variation matters not just because many patients receive poor care; indeed many thousands die avoidably every year.

The Guardian

"Media reports last weekend said 13,000 patients had died avoidably," he said.

The Guardian

This means that 11.7% of all food purchased is avoidably wasted, at an estimated cost to each family of £700 a year, or almost £60 a month.

The Guardian

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "avoidably" to emphasize that an undesirable outcome could have been prevented with foresight or better planning. It adds a layer of accountability to the situation.

Common error

Be careful not to confuse "avoidably" with "unavoidably". "Avoidably" means something could have been prevented, while "unavoidably" means it was impossible to prevent. Ensure your word choice accurately reflects the situation you're describing.

Linguistic Context

The word "avoidably" functions as an adverb, modifying verbs, adjectives, or other adverbs to indicate that an action or state could have been prevented or avoided. As Ludwig AI points out, it describes the manner in which something occurred, emphasizing its preventability.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

70%

Science

20%

Formal & Business

10%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "avoidably" is an adverb that signifies something could have been prevented. Ludwig AI confirms it is grammatically correct and commonly used, particularly in News & Media and Scientific contexts. When using "avoidably", it's important to ensure it accurately reflects the preventability of the situation, differentiating it from "unavoidably". Alternative phrases like "preventably", "unnecessarily", and "needlessly" can provide nuanced variations. By understanding its function, purpose, and common errors, writers can effectively use "avoidably" to convey accountability and highlight missed opportunities for prevention.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

preventably

Focuses on the possibility of stopping something before it happens.

unnecessarily

Highlights that something happened without a good reason or justification.

needlessly

Emphasizes that something occurred when it wasn't required or essential.

evitably

Underlines that a specific result could have been diverted or dodged.

controllably

Emphasizes the ability to manage or regulate an action or situation to prevent a specific negative result.

manageably

Highlights the capacity to handle or deal with something in order to avert specific undesirable consequences.

circumventable

Focuses on the capacity to bypass or find a way around something.

easily prevented

Highlights how simple it could have been to prevent something.

readily averted

Emphasizes the ease with which something could have been turned away or avoided.

effortlessly avoided

Suggests that avoiding something would not have required much effort.

FAQs

How can I use "avoidably" in a sentence?

Use "avoidably" to describe situations where a negative outcome could have been prevented. For example, "The accident was avoidably caused by a lack of proper safety measures."

What are some alternatives to "avoidably"?

You can use alternatives such as "preventably", "unnecessarily", or "needlessly" depending on the specific context.

Is it better to say "avoidable" or "avoidably"?

"Avoidable" is an adjective describing something that can be avoided, while "avoidably" is an adverb describing how something happened in a way that could have been prevented. Choose the word that fits the grammatical role in your sentence.

What does it mean if something is described as "avoidably" so?

If something is described as "avoidably" so, it means that the negative state or condition being described could have been prevented or avoided with different actions or decisions. It implies a degree of responsibility or negligence.