Meaning & use
avoidable
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Meanings
adjectivenot comparable
possible to prevent or stay away from
Grammar: Used after linking verbs like be, seem, or become: The delay was avoidable.
Patterns
- an avoidable mistake
- completely avoidable
- easily avoidable
The accident was avoidable if the driver had checked the mirror.
Most of these errors are avoidable with better training.
The argument was avoidable; they could have talked calmly.
adjectivenot comparableformal
able to be skipped or left out
Grammar: Often used in formal or technical contexts about steps or items that can be omitted.
Patterns
- an avoidable step
- avoidable costs
In this recipe, the final garnish is avoidable.
The report lists avoidable expenses that can be cut.
Common combinations
- completely avoidable
- The whole problem was completely avoidable.
- easily avoidable
- That kind of mistake is easily avoidable.
- avoidable mistake
- It was an avoidable mistake, and she apologized.
- avoidable delay
- The avoidable delay frustrated everyone.
- avoidable cost
- The company cut avoidable costs to save money.
Synonyms and how they differ
- preventable
- Use preventable when something can be stopped from happening, especially diseases or accidents; avoidable is broader and can also mean 'able to be skipped'.
- escapable
- Escapable suggests you can get away from something; avoidable is more about preventing it from happening at all.
Opposites
Word family
Practice
The car crash was completely ______; the driver was not paying attention.
Choose one answer.
The blank needs an adjective to describe 'crash'. 'Avoidable' is the adjective. 'Avoid' is a verb, 'avoidance' is a noun, and 'avoidably' is an adverb.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “avoidable”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.