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Obviate vs Avert - What's the difference?

obviate | avert |

In transitive terms the difference between obviate and avert

is that obviate is to bypass a requirement or make it unnecessary; to avoid a future problem or difficult situation while avert is to ward off, or prevent, the occurrence or effects of.

obviate

English

Verb

(obviat)
  • To bypass a requirement or make it unnecessary; to avoid a future problem or difficult situation.
    • They saved enough money for their purchase and obviated the need to borrow.
  • * 1826', Richard Reece, ''A Practical Dissertation on the Means of '''Obviating & Treating the Varieties of Costiveness , page 181:
    • A mild dose of a warm active aperient to obviate costiveness, or to produce two motions daily, is generally very beneficial.
  • * 2004 , David J. Anderson, Agile Management for Software Engineering , page 180:
    • Some change requests, rather than extend the scope, obviate some of the existing scope of a project.
  • * 2008 , William S. Kroger, Clinical and Experimental Hypnosis: In Medicine, Dentistry, and Psychology , page 163:
    • Thus, to obviate resistance, the discussion should be relevant to the patient?s problems.

    avert

    English

    Verb

    (en verb)
  • To turn aside or away.
    • To avert the eyes from an object.
  • To ward off, or prevent, the occurrence or effects of.
    • How can the danger be averted ?
  • * Milton
    • To avert his ire.
  • * Prior
    • Till ardent prayer averts the public woe.
  • (archaic) To turn away.
  • * Thomson
    • Cold and averting from our neighbour's good.
  • (archaic) To turn away.
  • * Francis Bacon
    • When atheists and profane persons do hear of so many discordant and contrary opinions in religion, it doth avert them from the church.

    Derived terms

    * averter * avertress

    Synonyms

    * (to prevent) * See also

    References

    * " avert" at OneLook® Dictionary Search .

    Anagrams

    * ----