Antonyms for obviate
ˈɒb viˌeɪtob·vi·ate

English Synonyms and AntonymsRate these synonyms:5.0 / 1 vote

1. obviate

   The original sense of prevent, to come before, act in advance of, which is now practically obsolete, was still in good use when the authorized version of the Bible was made, as appears in such passages as, "When Peter was come into the house, Jesus prevented him" (i. e., addressed him first), Matt. xvii, 25; "Thou preventest him with the blessings of goodness" (i. e., by sending the blessings before the desire is formulated or expressed), Ps. xxi, 3. Anticipate is now the only single word usable in this sense; to forestall is to take or act in advance in one's own behalf and to the prejudice of another or others, as in the phrase "to forestall the market." But to anticipate is very frequently used in the favorable sense; as, his thoughtful kindness anticipated my wish (i. e., met the wish before it was expressed): or we say, "I was about to accost him when he anticipated me" (by speaking first); or one anticipates a payment (by making it before the time); in neither of these cases could we use forestall or prevent. To obviate (literally, to stop the way of or remove from the way), is to prevent by interception, so that something that would naturally withstand or disturb may be kept from doing so; to preclude, (literally, to close or shut in advance) is to prevent by anticipation or by logical necessity; walls and bars precluded the possibility of escape; a supposition is precluded; a necessity or difficulty is obviated. Prevent, which at first had only the anticipatory meaning, has come to apply to the stopping of an action at any stage, the completion or conclusion only being thought of as negatived by anticipation; the enemy passed the outworks and were barely prevented from capturing the fortress. Compare HINDER; PROHIBIT.

   Synonyms:
   anticipate, forestall, preclude, prevent

   Preposition:
   He was prevented by illness from joining the expedition.

Princeton's WordNetRate these antonyms:0.0 / 0 votes

1. obviate, rid of, eliminateverb

   do away with

   Antonyms:
   postulate, take, require, involve, call for, necessitate, demand, ask, need

   Synonyms:
   forfend, decimate, eliminate, rule out, avert, excrete, ward off, wipe out, annihilate, head off, get rid of, winnow out, fend off, stave off, debar, avoid, extinguish, pass, reject, forefend, rid of, carry off, deflect, egest, do away with, eradicate

2. debar, forefend, forfend, obviate, deflect, avert, head off, stave off, fend off, avoid, ward offverb

   prevent the occurrence of; prevent from happening

   "Let's avoid a confrontation"; "head off a confrontation"; "avert a strike"

   Antonyms:
   involve, require, need, take, ask, demand, necessitate, call for, postulate

   Synonyms:
   forfend, avoid, eliminate, avert, ward off, distract, keep off, bend, suspend, invalidate, fend off, stave off, block, nullify, debar, exclude, head off, forefend, annul, quash, rid of, parry, bar, turn away, deflect, void

How to use obviate in a sentence?

1. Ruth Friedman:

   If they really wanted to explore and give oversight, and throw some sunshine on this process, they would have done what the court expected them to do, instead, they are hoping to obviate that litigation.

2. Daniel Swain:

   This is really going to help a lot with the short-term drought in Northern California, perhaps even erase short-term drought conditions, but it’s going to take a lot more to completely obviate the longer term, multi-year drought impacts.

3. Scott Gottlieb:

   The South Africa variant is very concerning right now because it does appear that may it obviate some of our medical countermeasures, particularly the antibody drugs.

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