| Main Entry: | avert |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | thwart; avoid by turning away |
Synonyms: |
avoid, deflect, deter, divert, fend off, foil, forestall, frustrate, halt, look away, preclude, prevent, rule out, shove aside, shunt, stave off, turn, turn aside, turn away, ward off |
| Notes: | avert means 'prevent, turn away' and avoid means 'stay clear of, shun' overt means apparent or open to view or plain or public; avert means to prevent or turn away |
Antonyms: |
aid, help |
| Main Entry: | avoid |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | refrain or stay away from; prevent |
Synonyms: |
abstain, avert, bypass, circumlocute, circumvent, deflect, desist, ditch, divert, dodge, duck, elude, escape, eschew, evade, fake out, fend off, flee, give the slip, hide, hold off, jump, keep clear, lay low, obviate, recoil, run for cover, shake, shake and bake, shake off, shirk, shrink from, shuffle off, shun, shy, sidestep, skip out on, skip town, skip*, skirt, stay away, stay out, steer clear of, step aside, turn aside, ward off, weave, withdraw |
Antonyms: |
face, meet, seek, want |
| Main Entry: | depart |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | diverge from normal, expected |
Synonyms: |
abandon, cast, desert, deviate, differ, digress, disagree, discard, dissent, excurse, forsake, ramble, reject, repudiate, stray, swerve, turn aside, vary, veer, wander |
Antonyms: |
continue, keep to, linger, stay, wait |
| Main Entry: | deviate |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | stray from normal path |
Synonyms: |
aberrate, angle off, avert, bear off, bend, bend the rules, break pattern, circumlocate, contrast, deflect, depart, depart from, differ, digress, divagate, diverge, drift, edge off, err, get around, go amiss, go haywire, go off on tangent, go out of control, go out of way, leave beaten path, not conform, part, shy, swerve, swim against stream, take a turn, turn, turn aside, vary, veer, wander |
Antonyms: |
go straight, keep, stay |
| Main Entry: | digress |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | stray, deviate |
Synonyms: |
aberrate, be diffuse, beat about the bush, circumlocute, depart, divagate, drift, excurse, get off the point, get off the subject, get sidetracked, go by way of, go off on a tangent, long way, meander, ramble, roam, swerve, turn aside, veer, wander, wander away |
Antonyms: |
be direct, stay |
| Main Entry: | discourage |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | deter, dissuade; restrain |
Synonyms: |
check, chill, control, curb, deprecate, disadvise, discountenance, disfavor, disincline, divert, frighten, hinder, hold back, hold off, impede, indispose, inhibit, interfere, keep back, obstruct, prevent, put off, quiet, repress, scare, shake, talk out of, throw cold water on, turn aside, turn off, warn, withhold |
Antonyms: |
encourage, inspire, spur on |
| Main Entry: | distract |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | divert attention; confuse |
Synonyms: |
abstract, addle, agitate, amuse, befuddle, beguile, bewilder, call away, catch flies, confound, derange, detract, discompose, disconcert, disturb, divert, draw away, engross, entertain, fluster, frenzy, harass, lead astray, lead away, madden, mislead, mix up, occupy, perplex, puzzle, sidetrack, stall, throw off, torment, trouble, turn aside, unbalance, unhinge |
Antonyms: |
clarify, explain |
| Main Entry: | diverge |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | be different from; be at odds |
Synonyms: |
argue, conflict, contrast, depart, deviate, differ, digress, disagree, disapprove, dissent, oppose, stray, swerve, turn aside, vary, wander |
Antonyms: |
agree, concur |
| Main Entry: | divert |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | turn a different direction |
Synonyms: |
alter, avert, change, deflect, modify, pivot, redirect, sheer, swerve, switch, turn aside, veer, volte-face, wheel, whip, whirl |
Antonyms: |
be direct, keep to, maintain, stay |
| Main Entry: | dodge |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | avoid |
Synonyms: |
circumlocute, dark, deceive, ditch, duck, elude, equivocate, escape, evade, fence, fend off, fudge, get around, get out of, give the slip, hedge, juke, lurch, malinger, move to the side, parry, pussyfoot, put the move on, shake, shake off, shift, shirk, short-circuit, shuffle, sidestep, skip out on, skirt, slide, slip, swerve, tergiversate, tergiverse, trick, turn aside, weasel |
Antonyms: |
confront, encounter, face, meet, stand up to |