# avert

/əˈvɝt/ (US) · /ɐvˈɜːt/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/avert
Updated: 2026-08-27

## Senses

### 1. to prevent something bad

verb · CEFR C1 · Formal

to stop something bad or dangerous from happening.

For teachers: to ward off or prevent the occurrence of a disaster, crisis, or other negative event.

- The pilot's quick thinking helped to avert a serious accident on the runway.
- Diplomatic efforts were intensified in a final attempt to avert a full-scale trade war between the two nations.

Usage: Commonly collocates with nouns like 'disaster', 'crisis', 'tragedy', or 'accident'.

### 2. to turn eyes away

verb · CEFR C1 · Formal

to turn your eyes or your look away from something you do not want to see.

For teachers: to turn away one's eyes or thoughts from a specific object or direction.

- She had to avert her gaze when the movie became too violent.
- He averted his eyes from the bright glare of the sun reflecting off the glass building.

Usage: Almost always used with 'eyes', 'gaze', or 'look' as the direct object.

## Examples

- He had to avert his eyes from the bright light.
- The diplomatic mission worked through the night to avert a full-scale trade war between the two nations.
- By implementing strict safety protocols and conducting regular drills, the plant manager managed to avert a potential disaster when the cooling system malfunctioned.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.