shortly to avoid

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "shortly to avoid" is not correct and does not convey a clear meaning in written English.
It may be intended to express a need to take action soon in order to prevent something, but the phrasing is awkward and unclear. Example: "We need to address this issue shortly to avoid further complications."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

News & Media

Science

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

1 human-written examples

The Senate will almost certainly join in shortly to avoid an impending shutdown on Friday, the result of the stopgap bill from two weeks ago.

The New York Times

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

59 human-written examples

The formulations for the Kelvin Voigt and Boltzmann viscoelastic models are shortly presented to avoid repetitive algebraic procedures.

International Journal of Advanced Structural Engineering

Convicted in a fraudulent driver's license scheme in 2002, he agreed to work undercover for the FBI shortly afterward to avoid deportation and turned out to have been an informer in a previous terrorism case in Albany in 2004.

Huffington Post

Play Knights bridge to Ongar shortly after to avoid it happening again.

WikiHow

Shortly before 14 00, both Florida and Delaware reported sighting numerous torpedoes running in the water, and began maneuvering sharply to avoid being struck.

Wikipedia

Most males are castrated shortly after birth to avoid an off-flavour in their meat.

Encyclopedia Britannica

Fanny left England shortly afterwards, allegedly to avoid having to continue living with Hopley.

Wikipedia

Others may wait until shortly before the election to avoid a byelection.

The Guardian

Protest leaders did not plan to release details until shortly ahead of time to avoid tipping off law enforcement.

The Guardian

Shortly after Mr. Nixon resigned to avoid impeachment arising from the Watergate scandal, Congress passed a law confiscating the materials he had left behind.

The New York Times

Mr Roy, you'll remember, got the Manaus mayor into a hot funk by saying it was a "place to avoid" shortly before England landed a Group D fixture against Italy in that very place.

The Guardian - Sport

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When aiming to express the need for quick action to prevent something, it's better to use clearer and more common phrases like "quickly in order to prevent" or "promptly to avoid". This enhances readability and avoids ambiguity.

Common error

Avoid using the phrase "shortly to avoid" as it sounds unnatural and may confuse readers. Opt for more direct and commonly used alternatives such as "quickly to prevent" or "soon to avert".

Linguistic Context

The phrase "shortly to avoid" functions as an adverbial phrase expressing purpose. It indicates the reason or intention behind an action, suggesting that something should be done soon in order to prevent an undesirable outcome. However, Ludwig AI identifies it as not correct, suggesting that although understandable, it's not the best choice.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

33%

Science

33%

Wiki

33%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

0%

Reference

0%

Formal & Business

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, while the phrase "shortly to avoid" is understandable, Ludwig AI identifies that it is an awkward and uncommon construction for expressing the need for prompt action to prevent something. It functions as an adverbial phrase of purpose, but its usage is infrequent and may sound unnatural in formal contexts. For clearer and more effective communication, it's best to opt for alternatives like "quickly in order to prevent" or "promptly to avert". These alternatives offer better readability and eliminate potential ambiguity. While the phrase does appear in various sources, including news articles and scientific papers, its limited usage suggests it's not a preferred choice among experienced writers. Therefore, consider replacing it with more standard phrasing to enhance clarity and professionalism.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

quickly in order to prevent

Replaces "shortly" with "quickly" to emphasize speed and adds "in order" for clarity.

promptly so as to avert

Substitutes "shortly" with "promptly" for a more formal tone and replaces "avoid" with "avert", indicating prevention.

immediately to preclude

Uses "immediately" instead of "shortly" to highlight urgency, and "preclude" instead of "avoid" for a stronger sense of prevention.

soon to forestall

Replaces "shortly" with "soon" and "avoid" with "forestall", suggesting proactive prevention.

expeditiously to circumvent

Uses "expeditiously" for a formal tone emphasizing speed, and "circumvent" instead of "avoid" to suggest finding a way around something.

without delay to evade

Emphasizes the lack of delay and replaces "avoid" with "evade", implying skillful escape.

right away to dodge

Uses informal language to convey immediacy and replaces "avoid" with "dodge", suggesting a quick sidestep.

swiftly to steer clear of

Replaces "shortly" with "swiftly" to emphasize speed and uses the idiomatic "steer clear of" instead of "avoid".

presently to obviate

Replaces "shortly" with "presently", implying near future, and "avoid" with "obviate", meaning to remove a need or difficulty.

quickly to preclude the possibility of

Replaces "avoid" with a longer phrase to ensure complete prevention.

FAQs

How can I rephrase "shortly to avoid" for better clarity?

Consider using alternatives like "quickly in order to prevent", "promptly to avert", or "immediately to preclude" for enhanced clarity.

Is "shortly to avoid" grammatically correct?

While understandable, "shortly to avoid" is not the most grammatically sound phrase. It's better to use more common and accepted alternatives to ensure clear communication.

What is a more formal way to say "shortly to avoid"?

For a more formal tone, you could use phrases such as "expeditiously to circumvent" or "promptly so as to avert".

When is it appropriate to use "shortly to avoid"?

Given its awkwardness, it's generally best to avoid using "shortly to avoid" in formal writing. In informal contexts, while understandable, clearer alternatives are still preferable.