avoidable

adjective

Definition of avoidablenext
as in preventable

Related Words

Relevance

Dissimilar Words

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 avoidable What separated Dieffenbach from previous quarterback play was his ball protection, largely keeping it out of harm’s way, and really only taking one avoidable sack. — Connor Dullinger, Los Angeles Times, 19 Oct. 2026 Both are avoidable, and both come from the same conversation that is essential to have but often not had because of boards’ and leaders’ discomfort with being direct and upfront from the beginning. — Christina Greenberg, Forbes.com, 16 Oct. 2026 That could lead to vaccine shortages — and a situation where Americans who want vaccines can no longer get them — and ultimately declining immunization rates, more outbreaks of communicable diseases, and more avoidable deaths. — Joel Dodge, STAT, 14 Oct. 2026 This will prevent you from rappelling off the end of the rope and falling the rest of the way to the ground — one of the most common and avoidable ways climbers die. — Daniel Duane, New York Times, 14 Oct. 2026 But on an otherwise good night, Gardner committed two avoidable fouls in the fourth quarter; Heat TV analyst John Crotty said the second, which put Minnesota in the bonus, was completely unnecessary. — Barry Jackson, Miami Herald, 11 Oct. 2026 The sect had at least 15 avoidable deaths among children from 2015 through 2025, according to healthcare professionals who reviewed their records for ProPublica. — Audrey Dutton, ProPublica, 1 Oct. 2026 Move too quickly and organizations burn out, make avoidable mistakes, or outrun their capabilities. — Harvard Business Review, 29 Sep. 2026 As such disasters intensify, international climate adaptation and disaster preparedness aid programs have been slashed, leaving countries facing billions of dollars in avoidable damage and dwindling recovery funds. — ABC News, 22 Sep. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for avoidable
  1. preventable
  2. uncertain
  3. unsure
Adjective
  • Medical experts told ProPublica her doctors did not follow the proper standard of care and that Barnica’s death was preventable.
    — Cassandra Jaramillo, ProPublica, 19 Oct. 2026
  • Over the past three years, officials say Bristol has seen 90 serious injuries and 20 fatalities due to preventable traffic deaths.
    — Stephen Underwood, Hartford Courant, 18 Oct. 2026
Definition of preventable
Adjective
  • Those assumptions can be quite uncertain when designing an entirely new study.
    — Mark Louie F. Ramos, STAT, 21 Oct. 2026
  • Specialists recommend seeking a second opinion from a neurologist who specializes in MS when a diagnosis is uncertain, particularly before starting medications that affect the immune system.
    — Jasmine Arenas, CBS News, 21 Oct. 2026
Definition of uncertain
Adjective
  • The Salt Lake County clerk requests assistance to secure the polls, but the sheriff, unsure about jurisdiction, declines.
    — Barton Gellman, New Yorker, 25 Oct. 2026
  • The equipment truck had left spring training in Tempe, Arizona, and was in Salt Lake City, unsure where to go, when Selig called traveling secretary Tommy Ferguson, who had held the same job with the Braves.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 24 Oct. 2026
Definition of unsure

Browse Nearby Words

avoid
avoidable
avoidance
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Avoidable.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/avoidable. Accessed 27 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

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of milieu

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

How to Use 'Who' vs. 'Whom'

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

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World

Why do we 'bury the lede?'

'Za' and 9 Other Words to Help You Win at SCRABBLE
See More

Popular

See More

How to Use 'Who' vs. 'Whom'

The Longest Long Words List

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
different halloween monsters in silhouette
A Monstrous Vocab Quiz Words That Go Bump in the Night
See All