avoided

USAGE SUMMARY

The word "avoided" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it to convey that an action, situation, or person was intentionally not dealt with or handled. For example, "I avoided watching the news today to stay in a positive mood."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Formal & Business

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

A November report by a British thinktank noted a rise in close military encounters between Russia and the west this year, including "violations of national airspace, emergency scrambles, narrowly avoided mid-air collisions, close encounters at sea, simulated attack runs and other dangerous actions happening on a regular basis over a very wide geographical area".

The Guardian

Unlike some of its rivals it avoided major costs for litigation and legal expenses.

The Guardian - Business

All of this is gripping for the reader, but make no mistake: even if every one of those missteps had been avoided, Labour would still have lost.

The Guardian - Opinion

It also meant I avoided all of the crowds.

The Guardian - Travel

Stephen Dank has avoided the three crucial charges relating to the administration of banned peptide Thymosin Beta 4, but could still face a life-time ban from the sport after a ruling by the AFL's anti-doping tribunal in Melbourne, Friday.

The Guardian - Sport

Having avoided jail time, he said he was looking forward to moving on with the next phase of his life, "and continuing to serve our great nation as a private citizen".

The Guardian

UTMB organisers say they have avoided the use of around 100,000 disposable beakers since they introduced a rule forcing runners to carry their own.

The Guardian - Lifestyle

You can see more details in our live blog, and have your say Here's what economists are saying: "Today's figures show continued very sluggish growth in the eurozone, but it has avoided lapsing back into recession.

The Guardian - Business

They didn't seem to care about making money from anyone stupid enough to back Douglas, but even the most punch-drunk gamblers in Vegas would have avoided those teasing odds.

The Guardian - Sport

The phrase is best avoided, given its (understandable) unpopularity in the Irish Republic.

The Guardian

The slightly more secular UUP avoided lecturing individuals on issues affecting the bedroom.

The Guardian

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "avoided" to clearly indicate that an action or situation was intentionally evaded or prevented. Ensure the context clarifies what was avoided and why.

Common error

Avoid using "avoided" in passive constructions where the actor is unclear. Instead, specify who or what did the avoiding to maintain clarity and impact.

Linguistic Context

The word "avoided" functions primarily as the past tense and past participle of the verb 'avoid'. It describes an action that has already occurred, where someone or something has intentionally kept away from or prevented something from happening. Ludwig AI confirms this through its numerous examples.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

35%

Formal & Business

33%

Science

32%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "avoided" is a versatile verb form used to describe actions taken to prevent or evade something. Ludwig AI confirms that it's grammatically correct and widely used. Its communicative purpose is to convey deliberate evasion, and its neutral register makes it suitable for diverse contexts, including news, business, and scientific writing. When writing, it's best to clearly specify who or what did the avoiding. Remember, while alternatives like "evaded", "averted", and "circumvented" exist, "avoided" serves as a reliable and common choice.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

evaded

Implies skillfully escaping or eluding something.

evaded

Skillfully escaped or eluded something.

averted

Suggests turning away or preventing something from happening.

circumvented

Indicates finding a way around an obstacle or rule.

bypassed

Suggests going around something, often to avoid a delay or problem.

dodged

Implies quickly moving out of the way to avoid being hit.

sidestepped

Indicates avoiding a direct confrontation or issue.

warded off

Suggests preventing something from approaching or affecting you.

steered clear of

Implies intentionally keeping a distance from something.

shunned

Suggests deliberately avoiding someone or something due to dislike or distrust.

FAQs

How to use "avoided" in a sentence?

Use "avoided" to indicate that someone or something took action to prevent or evade something. For example, "She "avoided" the crowded streets by taking a detour."

What can I say instead of "avoided"?

You can use alternatives like "evaded", "averted", or "circumvented" depending on the context.

Which is correct, "avoided" or "prevented"?

"Avoided" implies evading something, while "prevented" means stopping something from happening. The choice depends on whether the action was to evade or to stop something altogether.

What's the difference between "avoided" and "ignored"?

"Avoided" suggests conscious effort to keep away from something, whereas "ignored" implies a deliberate choice not to pay attention to something.