noun

avoidance

uh-VOY-duhns

noun

The act of keeping away from something, or the habit of doing so.

"His avoidance of the topic made everyone suspicious."

"Conflict avoidance is common in families that dislike confrontation."

legal/finance: The legal or lawful minimising or cancelling of an obligation, especially tax.

"The company used offshore accounts for tax avoidance."

How to Use Avoidance

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishThe act of steering clear of something.

Common mistake

Tax avoidance (legal, minimising tax within the rules) is different from tax evasion (illegal, hiding income).

Easily confused with

evasion →

Common pairings

tax avoidance conflict avoidance avoidance behaviour

avoidances plural

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Can you complete this real example?

His _____ of the topic made everyone suspicious.

From avoid + the noun-forming suffix -ance.

lance dance Nance rance Vance chance nuance trance stance glance prance fiance