aˈvoidance
B2Formal to neutral
Definition
Meaning
The action of keeping away from or preventing something undesirable from happening.
A deliberate strategy or pattern of behavior to evade confrontation, responsibility, or unwanted situations; in psychology, a coping mechanism where an individual withdraws from stressors.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
Often implies conscious, deliberate effort rather than accidental circumstance. Can carry negative connotations of evasion or shirking when used in contexts of responsibility.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant lexical differences; both varieties use the word identically in meaning and form.
Connotations
Slightly more common in British legal/administrative contexts (e.g., 'tax avoidance'), but equally understood in American English.
Frequency
Comparable frequency in both dialects; perhaps marginally higher in UK due to established legal terminology.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
avoidance of + NPNP + avoidanceadjective + avoidanceVocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “Avoidance is the best policy (play on 'honesty is the best policy')”
- “To take the avoidance route”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Refers to strategies to minimize risks, liabilities, or taxes.
Academic
Used in psychology, law, and social sciences to describe behavioral patterns or legal strategies.
Everyday
Common in discussions about habits, relationships, or personal choices.
Technical
In engineering/safety: 'collision avoidance systems'; in psychology: 'avoidance conditioning'.
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- They carefully avoided the pothole on the road.
- She avoids eating gluten due to an allergy.
American English
- He avoided the question during the interview.
- We avoid driving downtown during rush hour.
adverb
British English
- He answered avoidantly, not meeting her eyes.
- She smiled avoidantly and changed the subject.
American English
- He responded avoidantly to the direct question.
- She acted avoidantly throughout the meeting.
adjective
British English
- His avoidance behaviour became noticeable.
- The avoidance strategy proved ineffective.
American English
- Her avoidance tactics are obvious.
- An avoidance response was recorded in the study.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- Avoidance of junk food is good for health.
- His avoidance of dogs is because he is scared.
- Tax avoidance is illegal in some cases.
- Her avoidance of conflict makes meetings peaceful.
- The pilot relied on the aircraft's collision avoidance system.
- Chronic avoidance of difficult conversations can harm relationships.
- The study examined avoidance behaviours in anxiety disorders.
- Strategic avoidance of market volatility characterised their investment approach.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of 'a void dance' – you're dancing around an empty space to avoid stepping into trouble.
Conceptual Metaphor
AVOIDANCE IS A SHIELD / AVOIDANCE IS A DETOUR
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Do not confuse with 'избежание' (which is correct) and 'уклонение' (which has stronger negative connotation of evasion).
- Russian may use the same word for 'avoidance' and 'prevention', but in English 'prevention' is more proactive.
Common Mistakes
- Using 'avoidance' as a verb (incorrect: 'He avoidance the issue'; correct: 'He avoids the issue').
- Confusing 'avoidance' with 'prevention' (avoidance = staying away from; prevention = stopping from happening).
Practice
Quiz
Which phrase is a common collocation with 'avoidance'?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Not always. It can be neutral or positive in contexts like 'risk avoidance' or 'accident avoidance', but often carries a negative tone when referring to shirking duties.
'Avoidance' is generally legal and strategic; 'evasion' implies illegality or deceit, especially in contexts like tax.
No, 'avoidance' is only a noun. The verb form is 'avoid'.
Usually uncountable (e.g., 'constant avoidance'), but can be countable in specific technical contexts (e.g., 'different avoidances were observed').