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1. Prevent the occurrence of; prevent from happening; to protect from or to keep away anything undesirable; to ward off
   "avert a strike";
   - debar, forefend, forfend, obviate, deflect, head off, stave off, fend off, avoid, ward off
    
2. Turn away or aside
   "They averted their eyes when the King entered";
   - turn away

Derived forms: averted, averting, averts

Type of: forbid, foreclose, forestall, preclude, prevent, turn

Encyclopedia: Avert, Missouri