Obviate
ahd-5
transitive verb.
To keep from happening or render unnecessary.
synonym
:
prevent
.
The Century Dictionary and Cyclopedia
To meet.
To meet half-way, as difficulties or objections; hence, to meet and dispose of; clear out of the way; remove.
the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English
transitive verb.
To meet in the way.
transitive verb.
To anticipate; to prevent by interception; to remove from the way or path; to make unnecessary.
Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License
verb.
To
bypass
a
requirement
or make it
unnecessary
; to
avoid
a future
problem
or difficult situation.
WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.
verb.
do away with
verb.
prevent the occurrence of; prevent from happening
Word Usage
"Edit: In a (rare) moment of self-doubt I looked up 'obviate' wondering if it's one of those words I've either misheard or used incorrectly."
Hypernym
Words that are more generic or abstract
forbid
foreclose
forestall
preclude
prevent
Hyponym
Words that are more specific
close out
preclude
rule out
Synonym
Words with the same meaning
anticipate
anticipate
avert
bar
debar
verb-form
obviated
obviates
obviating