averted; averting; averts
1
: to turn away or aside (the eyes, one's gaze, etc.) in avoidance
I found the sight so grotesque that I had to avert my eyes …—
John Gregory Dunne
John Gregory Dunne2
: to see coming and ward off : avoid
avert disaster
Examples of avert in a Sentence
He sped up and averted an accident.
The diplomatic talks narrowly averted a war.
an attempt to avert a strike at the plant
Recent Examples on the Web
Treasury’s semi-annual report to Congress — called Macroeconomic and Foreign Exchange Policies of Major Trading Partners of the United States— comes as the Trump administration seeks to strike a trade deal with China, averting a trade war that has been brewing between the two nations.
—Fatima Hussein, Fortune, 6 June 2025
Not until Republicans are ready and willing to make serious changes to entitlements, starting with structural reform of Medicaid and adding Medicare and Social Security to the mix, can a fiscal crisis be averted.
—The Editors, National Review, 5 June 2025
Paul also opposes the measure's $4 trillion increase in the debt limit, a boost that the Treasury Department says is needed to avert a federal default as early as July.
—Arkansas Online, 4 June 2025
The goal was twofold: provide humanitarian relief and avert a mass migration crisis in South Florida.
—Antonio Maria Delgado, Miami Herald, 3 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for avert
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Fatima Hussein, Fortune, 6 June 2025
Not until Republicans are ready and willing to make serious changes to entitlements, starting with structural reform of Medicaid and adding Medicare and Social Security to the mix, can a fiscal crisis be averted.
—The Editors, National Review, 5 June 2025
Paul also opposes the measure's $4 trillion increase in the debt limit, a boost that the Treasury Department says is needed to avert a federal default as early as July.
—Arkansas Online, 4 June 2025
The goal was twofold: provide humanitarian relief and avert a mass migration crisis in South Florida.
—Antonio Maria Delgado, Miami Herald, 3 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for avert
Cite this Entry
“Avert.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/avert. Accessed 14 Jun. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
avert
verb1
: to turn away
avert one's eyes
2
: to keep from happening
averted an accident
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