avoiding confrontations

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "avoiding confrontations" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used when discussing strategies or behaviors aimed at preventing conflicts or disagreements in various situations. Example: "She often finds herself avoiding confrontations to maintain peace in her relationships."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

13 human-written examples

This results in a fear-avoidance behavior, with patients avoiding confrontations so they will not experience stress [ 11, 17].

Aesthetic Plastic Surgery

Avoiding confrontations with relievers is a harder task, particularly in this era of specialization.

The New York Times - Sports

The Bush administration, after avoiding confrontations with China for years on the issue, took it to the World Trade Organization in 2007 over trade barriers.

The New York Times

Before Margaret Thatcher's era, the Tories had a penchant for muddling through, avoiding confrontations and sharp edges; they were conservators, not wreckers.

The Guardian

To repair the nation's image, Mr. Ponta said, he was studiously avoiding confrontations with the president, and had recently removed himself from an acrimonious meeting about foreign policy to avoid another public and damaging altercation.

The New York Times

Mr. Ponta said his main shortcoming had been not to effectively communicate the reasons behind the impeachment vote.To repair the country's image, Mr. Ponta said he was studiously avoiding confrontations with the president, and had even recently removed himself from an acrimonious meeting about foreign policy to avoid another public and damaging bust-up.Mr.

The New York Times

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

47 human-written examples

Avoiding confrontation is paramount, because American enforcers can exact punishment well beyond their own borders.

The Economist

But the strategy of avoiding confrontation had done little for the Tatars.

The New Yorker

"We are not hiding in caves or avoiding confrontation," he said.

The New Yorker

But he favors avoiding confrontation with Beijing while allowing closer economic ties.

The New York Times

But they also praised senior police commanders for keeping their officers calm and avoiding confrontation.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When writing about interpersonal or international relations, use "avoiding confrontations" to emphasize a deliberate strategy to prevent conflicts from escalating.

Common error

Relying too much on the passive voice can make your writing sound weak. Instead of "confrontations were avoided", try "they were avoiding confrontations" for a more direct and active tone.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "avoiding confrontations" functions as a gerund phrase, acting as a noun. It describes the action of preventing or steering clear of conflicts. Ludwig AI confirms its usability in various contexts.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

50%

Science

25%

Wiki

10%

Less common in

Formal & Business

5%

Encyclopedias

5%

Reference

5%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "avoiding confrontations" is a grammatically correct and commonly used gerund phrase. It functions as a noun, describing the act of preventing conflicts. According to Ludwig AI, the phrase is usable and appropriate in various contexts. It's found most frequently in news and media, with a neutral register. Related phrases include "evading conflict" and "defusing tensions". When using "avoiding confrontations", remember to maintain an active voice for stronger writing.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

evading conflict

Highlights the act of actively escaping or dodging a conflict situation.

side-stepping disputes

Suggests skillfully moving to the side to not engage in a dispute.

averting arguments

Focuses on preventing an argument from happening.

defusing tensions

Emphasizes reducing or eliminating the intensity of a potentially conflicting situation.

circumventing clashes

Implies finding a way around or avoiding direct encounters that would lead to clashes.

steering clear of altercations

Means purposefully keeping away from situations that could become heated or aggressive.

bypassing conflicts

Indicates going around a conflict without directly addressing it.

managing disagreements

Focuses on handling disagreements in a way that prevents them from escalating into confrontations.

dissolving disagreements

Emphasizes resolving disagreements to prevent them from escalating.

mitigating conflicts

Focuses on reducing the severity or impact of conflicts.

FAQs

How to use "avoiding confrontations" in a sentence?

You can use "avoiding confrontations" to describe a strategy or behavior aimed at preventing conflicts. For example: "She is skilled at "defusing tensions" and "avoiding confrontations" in the workplace."

What can I say instead of "avoiding confrontations"?

You can use alternatives like "evading conflict", "steering clear of altercations", or ""defusing tensions"" depending on the context.

Is "avoiding confrontations" a formal or informal phrase?

"Avoiding confrontations" is suitable for both formal and informal contexts. Its appropriateness depends more on the surrounding vocabulary and the overall tone of your writing.

What's the difference between "avoiding confrontations" and "resolving conflicts"?

"Avoiding confrontations" implies preventing conflicts from happening or escalating, while "resolving conflicts" refers to addressing and settling conflicts that already exist. They represent different approaches to dealing with conflict situations.