obviate
verb
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Obviate derives from the Late Latin obviare (meaning "to meet or withstand") and the Latin obviam (meaning "in the way") and is also an ancestor of our adjective obvious. Obviate has a number of synonyms in English, including prevent, preclude, and avert; all of these words can mean "to hinder or stop something." When you prevent or preclude something, you put up an insurmountable obstacle. In addition, preclude often implies that a degree of chance was involved in stopping an event. Obviate generally suggests the use of intelligence or forethought to ward off trouble. Avert always implies that a bad situation has been anticipated and prevented or deflected by the application of immediate and effective means.
Synonyms
Examples of obviate in a Sentence
Vidya Krishnan, Foreign Affairs, 25 Mar. 2020
But the change didn’t necessarily obviate the need for the community’s parties: Nguyen said that early attempts at translation by the county were often poor or incomplete.
—Daniel Miller, Los Angeles Times, 29 Oct. 2024
This carrier said that the predictable cost obviates the need to track spending.
—Zeus Kerravala, Forbes, 22 Oct. 2024
Such cell lines would be gene-edited to be matched to patients, to obviate a strong need for immunosuppressants.
—Juergen Eckhardt, Forbes, 9 Oct. 2024
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Cite this Entry
“Obviate.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/obviate. Accessed 22 Nov. 2024.
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obviate
verb
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