adjective
averted
uh-VUR-tihd
Averted (adjective) means Turned away, especially to avoid looking at something or showing an emotion. Example: “He gave his apology with eyes averted, too embarrassed to look at her.”
adjective
1
Turned away, especially to avoid looking at something or showing an emotion.
"He gave his apology with eyes averted, too embarrassed to look at her."
2
Successfully prevented from happening.
"Thanks to the ceasefire, a wider war was narrowly averted."
How to use averted
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishEither "looked away" or "successfully prevented," depending on context.
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Word forms
- Comparative
- more averted
- Superlative
- most averted
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
He gave his apology with eyes _____, too embarrassed to look at her.
Rhymes for averted
alerted
inserted
deserted
asserted
diverted
inverted
reverted
perverted
converted
concerted
introverted
See all rhymes for averted →
Frequently asked questions
What does “averted” mean?
The word “averted” means turned away, especially to avoid looking at something or showing an emotion. In plain terms, either "looked away" or "successfully prevented," depending on context.
How do you pronounce “averted”?
“Averted” is pronounced uh-VUR-tihd (/əˈvɝtɪd/ in IPA).
How do you use “averted” in a sentence?
Here is “averted” used in a sentence: “He gave his apology with eyes averted, too embarrassed to look at her.”
What part of speech is “averted”?
“Averted” is an adjective.
How many meanings does “averted” have?
“Averted” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: turned away, especially to avoid looking at something or showing an emotion.
