obviate

verb

ˈäb-vē-ˌāt How to pronounce obviate (audio)
Definition of obviatenext
as in to prevent
to keep from happening by taking action in advance brushing regularly should obviate the need for frequent trips to the dentist

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of obviate There was that ever-present sense of hope combined with her dedication to being there, to being in the moment, that obviated an overabundance of sympathy. — Andy Greene, Rolling Stone, 23 June 2026 Naturally occurring tax revenues derived from economic growth would help obviate the need for Springfield’s seemingly endless quests for novel fees and tax ideas. — The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 21 June 2026 While there are no modular reactors up and running yet in the United States, Albrecht said some of those in the design phase will use molten salt, helium or liquid metal to help cool the fission process, obviating the need for large amounts of water. — John Aguilar, Denver Post, 7 May 2026 By the end of last fiscal year, about $262 million collected from Measure X had not been spent, with about half locked-in for key projects and about half that county leaders could reallocate to help obviate the need for another tax hike. — East Bay Times Editorial, Mercury News, 1 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for obviate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for obviate
  1. prevent
  2. avert
  3. preclude
Verb
  • The nation eliminated the domestic spread of measles in 2000 by maintaining high vaccination rates, but those rates have fallen in recent years to below the 95% coverage needed to prevent outbreaks.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 6 Oct. 2026
  • Evidence might include the underlying need, capability fit, timing, accessibility, ability to deliver and risks or constraints that could prevent action.
    — Adam Feiner, Forbes.com, 5 Oct. 2026
Definition of prevent
Verb
  • While people in Israel are praising the passengers and the captain as heroes for averting disaster, a broader debate is emerging over government failures that allowed something like this to happen, Lonsdorf says.
    — Brittney Melton, NPR, 5 Oct. 2026
  • Each time the door shut behind the man, Shawn had the feeling that some danger had been temporarily dodged, some crisis averted until the next day.
    — Rachel Heng, New Yorker, 4 Oct. 2026
Definition of avert
Verb
  • The justices have been asked to determine whether states and localities have the ability to sue fossil fuel companies for damages caused by the effects of climate change, or whether federal law precludes such lawsuits.
    — Callie Patteson, The Washington Examiner, 1 Oct. 2026
  • But, as fans now learn, that didn’t preclude coming up with additional material after the fact, which the singer is saying came out in a spontaneous explosion of post-release exhilaration with her two collaborators on that album.
    — Chris Willman, Variety, 23 Sep. 2026
Definition of preclude

Browse Nearby Words

obverses
obviate
obviated
See all Nearby Words

Podcast

Cite this Entry

“Obviate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/obviate. Accessed 9 Oct. 2026.

Copy Citation
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

Do You Need a New Language Peeve?

The Exceptions of '-s' and '-es' Plurals

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

The Real Origin of 'Supercalifragilistic'

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

7 Words for Bad Endings and Rough Situations

The Words of the Week - Oct. 9

Even More Bird Names that Sound Like Insults (and Sometimes Are)
See More

Popular

See More

Do You Need a New Language Peeve?

The Real Origin of 'Supercalifragilistic'

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
a cup of tea and a golf ball on tee side by side
Quiz: Sounds Like... Choose the word that sounds like it fits the clue...
See All