was avoidable

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "was avoidable" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to indicate that a particular situation or outcome could have been prevented. Example: "The accident was avoidable if proper safety measures had been followed."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

59 human-written examples

"Mr Bowers' death was avoidable.

The Guardian

But bonuses are discretionary – the bonus tax was avoidable.

The Guardian

An inquest in 2012 determined that Kate's death was avoidable.

The Guardian

Sandy Partridge said: "John should never have been discharged: we believe his death was avoidable.

The Guardian

She said a review into the breach needs to establish whether it was avoidable.

The Guardian - Business

People on both sides said that this latest collision was avoidable.

The New York Times

In the case of Saturday's blast, experts said that problem was avoidable.

The New York Times

"The fault lies not in the stars, but in us" is its way of underlining that the crisis was avoidable.

The Economist

Until the inaccurate report brought out the possibility that it could soon be true, Wall Street seemed willing to believe bankruptcy was avoidable.

The New York Times

The crisis itself was avoidable – the result of "human action and inaction, not of Mother Nature or computer models gone haywire".

The Guardian - Business

The trust commissioned a report to find out what went wrong; it criticised his treatment and concluded his death was avoidable.

The Guardian

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "was avoidable", ensure you provide context as to why the situation was preventable. This adds clarity and strengthens your argument. For example, "The accident "was avoidable" if the driver had followed traffic laws."

Common error

Avoid using "was avoidable" without providing supporting evidence or explanation. Simply stating something was preventable without context weakens the statement. Instead, clearly outline the factors that would have led to a different outcome.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "was avoidable" functions as a predicate adjective, describing a past event or situation as having the characteristic of being preventable. As Ludwig AI confirms, this phrase adheres to standard grammatical rules and is frequently used in varied contexts.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

83%

Science

10%

Formal & Business

7%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "was avoidable" is a grammatically correct and commonly used expression to indicate that a past event or situation could have been prevented. As confirmed by Ludwig AI, it's frequently found in news and media, science, and formal business contexts. When using this phrase, it's beneficial to provide context explaining why the situation was preventable. Alternatives such as "could have been prevented" or "was preventable" can be used for variety. The phrase serves to express a belief that a better outcome was possible, and it often implies criticism or a call for improved actions in the future.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

could have been prevented

Emphasizes the possibility of preventing something from happening.

was preventable

Highlights the inherent capability of something to be prevented.

could have been averted

Focuses on turning away or avoiding an undesirable outcome.

was needless

Indicates that something happened without necessity and could have been skipped.

could have been evaded

Suggests escaping or dodging a negative situation.

was unnecessary

Highlights that something was not required and could have been omitted.

could have been forestalled

Focuses on preventing something by acting ahead of time.

was escapable

Emphasizes the ability to get free from or avoid a situation.

could have been circumvented

Suggests finding a way around a problem or obstacle.

was avertible

Highlights the capacity for something to be turned away or warded off.

FAQs

What does "was avoidable" mean?

The phrase "was avoidable" means that a particular event, situation, or outcome could have been prevented or averted if different actions had been taken.

What can I say instead of "was avoidable"?

You can use alternatives like "could have been prevented", "was preventable", or "could have been averted" depending on the context.

Is it correct to say "was avoidable"?

Yes, "was avoidable" is grammatically correct and widely used to indicate that something could have been prevented.

How do I use "was avoidable" in a sentence?

You can use "was avoidable" to describe events or situations that could have had a different outcome. For example, "The crisis "was avoidable" with better planning."