for the sake of avoiding

USAGE SUMMARY

"for the sake of avoiding" is a correct and usable phrase in written English.
It is typically used to indicate that the purpose of something is to prevent or avoid something else. Example: For the sake of avoiding any misunderstandings, please read the instructions carefully before assembling the furniture.

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Wiki

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

23 human-written examples

Still, the Rolando Paulino families are not about to reject their Latin roots for the sake of avoiding controversy.

The New York Times - Sports

A survey conducted by LGIM found that 33% of people were not prepared to sacrifice any financial return for the sake of avoiding fossil fuel investment.

The Guardian - Business

I am tired of bureaucracy, targets, performance management, educational veneer for the sake of avoiding Ofsted and having to take on board initiative after initiative (PSHE, citizenship, being British, etc).

The Guardian

"We just don't want to face up to it," he said, adding that people do not want to change their lifestyle or the economy "for the sake of avoiding future costs".

The New York Times

An all-good being, even with maximal power, may have to allow considerable local evils for the sake of the overall good of the universe; some evils may be necessary for the sake of avoiding even worse evils.

The New York Times

(And not just for the sake of avoiding an embarrassing faux pas at dinner).

TechCrunch

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

37 human-written examples

It should be pointed out that for the sake of simplicity, avoiding dependence on the hardware or operating system, and the possibility to reproduce the results "by hand", the efficiency of the original McKay algorithm has been reduced.

Journal of Cheminformatics

We're rolling out this year's guides a little early for the sake of helping everyone avoid that last minute shopping stress ("the shipping tracker says it was delivered but I've been home all day and there's nothing on my porch and I have to leave for Aunt Linda's party in ten minutes oh no oh no oh no").

TechCrunch

For the sake of efficiency (to avoid repeating a SQL join on four tables) we created a new table assoc_term_seq to capture the available associations between table's term, association, gene_product, and seq.

BMC Genomics

Simple textual narratives, for example, provide a rich means of defining issues [ 64], though graphical methods may be preferred for the sake of clarity, to avoid some of the ambiguities inherent in words, and to give more structure to the model.

Environmental Health: A Global Access Science Source

Even though there are more efficient algorithms for finding a hyperpath for one single target, for the sake of simplicity we avoid to introduce here an additional algorithm and just remark that since FindAll is polynomial, the use of it does not affect the complexity analysis of the algorithms making use of its output.

BMC Systems Biology

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Ensure the verb following 'avoiding' is in the gerund form (-ing) or use a noun directly.

Common error

Do not substitute 'of' with 'to' after 'sake'. Phrases like 'for the sake to avoid' are grammatically incorrect. Always use the construction 'for the sake of' followed by a gerund or noun.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "for the sake of avoiding" functions as a complex prepositional phrase that acts as an adjunct of purpose. It sets up a relationship between a primary action and the intended result of preventing a specific situation. According to Ludwig AI, it is a standard and acceptable structure in formal English.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

Science

48%

News & Media

35%

Wiki

12%

Less common in

Formal & Business

3%

Encyclopedias

1%

Social Media

1%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In conclusion, "for the sake of avoiding" is a highly effective and grammatically correct phrase for writers who need to articulate the reasoning behind a preventative measure. Ludwig AI confirms its widespread usage in authoritative scientific and journalistic sources, making it a safe choice for formal documents and analytical essays. While more concise alternatives like "to avoid" exist, this phrase offers a more formal tone that emphasizes the 'benefit' or 'sake' of the avoidance itself. It is particularly useful in complex sentences where multiple objectives are being balanced, as seen in many of the scientific examples provided by Ludwig.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

to avoid

A more concise and direct version suitable for any context

in order to avoid

A formal purpose connector that emphasizes the intent behind the action

so as to avoid

A formal construction similar to 'in order to'

to prevent

Shifts the focus from the act of 'avoiding' to the active 'prevention' of an outcome

for the purpose of avoiding

A more verbose and formal way to state the objective

aiming to avoid

Highlights the specific goal or objective of the speaker

with the intent of avoiding

Explicitly mentions the psychological intention or motivation

to steer clear of

An idiomatic alternative that implies maintaining a safe distance from something

to circumvent

Specifically implies finding a way around a problem or obstacle

to bypass

Focuses on the act of skipping or going around a specific step or issue

FAQs

How do I use "for the sake of avoiding" in a sentence?

You use it to explain why an action was taken to prevent a negative outcome. For example: "The meeting was kept short "for the sake of avoiding" fatigue among the participants."

What can I say instead of "for the sake of avoiding"?

Depending on your tone, you can use "to avoid", "in order to avoid" or "to prevent".

Is "for the sake of avoiding" too wordy?

While it is longer than "to avoid", it provides a specific emphasis on the motivation (the 'sake') behind the avoidance. In formal writing, this extra weight is often preferred.

Should I use a noun or a verb after "for the sake of avoiding"?

Both are correct. You can use a noun as in "for the sake of avoiding conflict" or a gerund as in "for the sake of avoiding a conflict".