avoidable


Also found in: Thesaurus, Legal, Idioms.
Related to avoidable: in favor of, Avoidable Cost

a·void

 (ə-void′)
tr.v. a·void·ed, a·void·ing, a·voids
1.
a. To stay clear of; go around or away from: swerve to avoid a pothole.
b. To take measures so as not to meet or see (someone): "He never let go of the idea that she lived out there in order to avoid him" (Elizabeth Benedict).
2. To prevent from happening: You can avoid illness with exercise and a balanced diet.
3.
a. To refrain from using, engaging in, or partaking of: avoid red meat; avoid risky behavior.
b. To refrain from (doing something): It was all we could do to avoid laughing at the remark.
4. Law To annul or make void; invalidate.
5. Obsolete To void or expel.

[Middle English avoiden, from Anglo-Norman avoider, to empty out, variant of Old French esvuidier : es-, out (from Latin ex-; see ex-) + vuidier, to empty (from voide, empty; see void).]

a·void′a·ble adj.
a·void′a·bly adv.
a·void′er n.
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:
Adj.1.avoidable - capable of being avoided or warded offavoidable - capable of being avoided or warded off
Based on WordNet 3.0, Farlex clipart collection. © 2003-2012 Princeton University, Farlex Inc.

avoidable

adjective
1. preventable, stoppable, avertible or avertable The tragedy was entirely avoidable.
preventable unstoppable, unpreventable
2. escapable, evadable Smoking is an avoidable cause of disease and death.
escapable necessary, inevitable, unavoidable, inescapable
Collins Thesaurus of the English Language – Complete and Unabridged 2nd Edition. 2002 © HarperCollins Publishers 1995, 2002
Translations

avoidable

[əˈvɔɪdəbl] ADJevitable
Collins Spanish Dictionary - Complete and Unabridged 8th Edition 2005 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1971, 1988 © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2005

avoidable

[əˈvɔɪdəbəl] adj [accident] → évitable
Collins English/French Electronic Resource. © HarperCollins Publishers 2005

avoidable

adjvermeidbar; if it’s (at all) avoidablewenn es sich (irgend) vermeiden lässt
Collins German Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged 7th Edition 2005. © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1980 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1997, 1999, 2004, 2005, 2007

avoidable

[əˈvɔɪdəbl] adjevitabile
Collins Italian Dictionary 1st Edition © HarperCollins Publishers 1995
References in classic literature ?
It seems to be a construction scarcely avoidable, however, that those who come under the denomination of FREE INHABITANTS of a State, although not citizens of such State, are entitled, in every other State, to all the privileges of FREE CITIZENS of the latter; that is, to greater privileges than they may be entitled to in their own State: so that it may be in the power of a particular State, or rather every State is laid under a necessity, not only to confer the rights of citizenship in other States upon any whom it may admit to such rights within itself, but upon any whom it may allow to become inhabitants within its jurisdiction.
Caddy was quite transported by this reply of mine, being, I believe, as susceptible to the least kindness or encouragement as any tender heart that ever beat in this world; and after another turn or two round the garden, during which she put on an entirely new pair of gloves and made herself as resplendent as possible that she might do no avoidable discredit to the Master of Deportment, we went to Newman Street direct.
They aid our dealing and conversation as a railway aids travelling, by getting rid of all avoidable obstructions of the road and leaving nothing to be conquered but pure space.
AN Ophthalmologist, Dr Francis Ossai, has advised Nigerians to always go for eye screening so as to prevent avoidable blindness.
However Network Rail hit out saying incidents like this are hugely disruptive and 'completely avoidable'.
The NHS's chief midwife has warned that while giving birth is getting safer, smoking while pregnant puts mum and baby at an "avoidable and potentially deadly risk".
So last year our Health Board in special measures under direct scrutiny by Welsh Government had statutory responsibility for 48 avoidable deaths and significant harm for 2,611 patients.
COUNCIL chiefs have been urged to come clean over how much taxpayers' cash it spent on avoidable repairs.
THE poorest people in England and Wales are far more likely to die from "avoidable" reasons than the richest.
Campaigners say that the deaths are largely linked are far more likely women to die an avoidable death unacceptable" that the poorest in society suffer the greatest risk of an early, preventable death.
Nationally, the group said an estimated 160,000 lives are lost annually from the avoidable medical errors that are accounted for in the Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grade a significant improvement from 2016, when researchers estimated 205,000 avoidable deaths.