Avoidance

/əˈvɔɪdəns/

Meaning & Definition

noun

the act of avoiding something or someone; the practice of keeping away from something.

His avoidance of social situations made it difficult for him to make friends.

the action of preventing something from happening.

The avoidance of risks is essential for the success of the project.

the act of evading or escaping.

Her avoidance of responsibility ultimately led to her dismissal.

Derived from the Middle English 'avoyden', from Old French 'evuider', which means to empty out.

avoidance tactic

A strategy used to evade confrontation or issues.

avoidance behavior

Actions taken to avoid facing a situation or feeling.

avoidance strategy

A plan or approach designed to prevent engagement with a problem.

evade

To escape or avoid, especially by cleverness or trickery.

shun

To deliberately avoid someone or something.

dodge

To evade or avoid, especially by a quick or clever movement.

ghosting

She started ghosting her friends as a form of avoidance.

ice out

He decided to ice out the people that reminded him of his failures.