| 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 |
| Notes: | avert means 'prevent, turn away' and avoid means 'stay clear of, shun' |
Antonyms: |
face, meet, seek, want |
| 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: | divert |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | take attention away |
Synonyms: |
abstract, attract attention, bend the rules, catch flies, circumlocute, detach, deter, detract, disadvise, discourage, disengage, dissuade, distract, disturb, draw away, get around, lead astray, lead away, send on a wild-goose chase, sidetrack, stall |
| 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 |
| Main Entry: | stray |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | deviate, err |
Synonyms: |
circumlocute, depart, digress, divagate, diverge, do wrong, excurse, get off the subject, get off the track, get sidetracked, go off on a tangent, ramble, sin, wander |
Antonyms: |
remain, stay |
| Main Entry: | wander |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | move about aimlessly |
Synonyms: |
aberrate, amble, circumambulate, circumlocute, circumnutate, cruise, deviate, divagate, diverge, drift, float, follow one's nose, gad, gallivant*, globe-trot, hike, hopscotch, jaunt, maunder, meander, peregrinate, ramble, range, roam, roll, rove, saunter, straggle, stray, stroll, take to the road, trail, traipse, tramp, trek, vagabond, walk the tracks |
Antonyms: |
stay |