as in preventing
to keep from happening by taking action in advance
brushing regularly should obviate the need for frequent trips to the dentist
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Recent Examples of obviating
That is more than enough space to build a new arena, obviating the need to demolish City Hall for that purpose.
—
Mark Lamster
architecture Critic, Dallas Morning News, 14 Jan. 2026
Even the hefty, vintage camcorder Matthew totes around to film his documentary drops us directly into his leering point of view, crash zooming in on Oliver’s face and obviating boundaries.
—Eric Torres, Pitchfork, 27 Aug. 2025
Mark Lamster
architecture Critic, Dallas Morning News, 14 Jan. 2026
Even the hefty, vintage camcorder Matthew totes around to film his documentary drops us directly into his leering point of view, crash zooming in on Oliver’s face and obviating boundaries.
—Eric Torres, Pitchfork, 27 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for obviating
Verb
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Fiber slows digestion, preventing sharp glucose spikes while delivering antioxidants that protect brain cells.—
Deirdre Bardolf,
FOXNews.com,
11 Feb. 2026
-
Coronary heart disease occurs when fatty deposits called plaque build up in the heart’s arteries, preventing them from delivering oxygen-rich blood to the heart muscle.—
Barbara Mantel,
NBC news,
11 Feb. 2026
Verb
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The comments were part of a surge in diplomacy aimed at averting conflict; Qatar’s prime minister visited Tehran, while a senior Iranian official traveled to Moscow.—
semafor.com,
semafor.com,
3 Feb. 2026
-
The agreement is intended to give lawmakers more time to address Democratic demands to curb ICE tactics while averting a partial government shutdown.—
Ana Ceballos,
Los Angeles Times,
30 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Debris from hydraulic mining, using water cannons to blast away dirt in search of gold, built up in Northern California rivers, precluding larger steamboats from traveling on them, the California State Lands Commission report said.—
Don Sweeney,
Sacbee.com,
27 Jan. 2026
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The judge signed a temporary protection order requiring Davenport to stay away from the victim and precluding him from owning a firearm.—
Quinlan Bentley,
Cincinnati Enquirer,
23 Oct. 2025
Verb
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The battery is reported to retain more than 90 percent of its driving range even at –40 degrees Celsius, avoiding the sharp winter degradation commonly associated with both LFP and nickel-manganese-cobalt batteries.—
Jijo Malayil,
Interesting Engineering,
6 Feb. 2026
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Sokolowski also recommends avoiding misting your refrigerator with water directly—always apply it to a microfiber cloth first.—
Madeline Buiano,
Martha Stewart,
5 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Obviating.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/obviating. Accessed 14 Feb. 2026.
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