Advanced and Proficiency Vocabulary for Exams(e.g.GRE, Banks, Civil Services, SAT / LSAT). For IELTS/TOEFL, and everyday spoken vocabulary, go to our Spoken Vocabulary Database.
The formal word ‘obviate’ means to eliminate a problem or difficulty and in so doing, avoid the need to take action to deal with it. It implies a certain degree of intelligent consideration of options and forethought to prevent or evade trouble. Most commonly used in a professional context.
Executives at the company unanimously agreed to a reduction in pay in order to obviate the need to cut jobs to save costs.
A burgeoning crisis in modern society is the obviation of human skills by increasingly advanced technology. A lot of people’s livelihoods could be at risk.
We are hoping to obviate the need for legal action, so a mediator has been called in to resolve the dispute.