Avert Official

This refers to the physical act of looking away from something undesirable or turning one's mind from a distressing thought [5.1, 5.5].

Key Difference: You avert a crisis you are facing, but you avoid a situation that could lead to one [5.2]. This refers to the physical act of looking

At its core, avert (verb) means to turn away or to prevent something unpleasant or dangerous from happening [5.3, 5.6]. It originates from Latin roots meaning "to turn away from" [5.3]. Two Distinct Usages To Prevent or Ward Off (Unpleasant Events): This refers to the physical act of looking

While often used interchangeably, there is a nuance: This refers to the physical act of looking

Examples: "talks narrowly a war," "salt on an icy sidewalk averts accidents," "he sped up and averted an accident" [5.3, 5.4, 5.6]. To Turn Away (Eyes or Thoughts):