Guide 138 / 200 4 swaps Formal register

Professional words for “avoid”

Four verbs for different kinds of avoidance.

i · When it mattersTwo lines, no filler

"Avoid" is neutral. "Prevent" is proactive — stop before it starts; "sidestep" is to dodge a specific issue; "evade" implies duty being ducked; "eschew" is formal and often moral.

ii · The swaps4 ways

01

Prevent neutral

stop from happening

Prevent the outage through better monitoring.
02

Sidestep neutral

dodge a specific issue

Sidestep the pricing question in the call.
03

Evade neutral

duck something you owe

Evade the committee’s question.

Watch out Carries a whiff of blame — use only when warranted.
04

Eschew formal

deliberately refrain from

Eschew jargon in the customer-facing doc.