Question

Find the synonym of the underlined word.
The driver tried to avert the accident by bringing the car to a sudden halt, but to no avail.
a. Cause
b. Control
c. Minimize
d. Prevent
e. Witnessed

Answer 1

Hint: A synonym refers to a word that is similar in meaning to another word. Generally, words in the English language have many synonyms bearing similar meanings.

Complete answer:

 The meaning of avert is to forestall an undesirable situation. If something is averted, it means that it has been stopped from occurring. The word avert is derived from the Latin word avertere.

Let’s look at its usage:
Example- To avert the spread of coronavirus, the Government has undertaken some stringent measures. Here, we can see that the Government has adopted some measures to prevent the spread of coronavirus i.e. to keep people from contracting the virus.
Let’s examine the given options:
a. Cause- This means to give rise to an action or a phenomenon. It is different in meaning to avert. Hence, it is an incorrect option.
b. Control- This refers to the power to influence other people’s behavior. It is different in meaning to avert. Hence, it is an incorrect option.
c. Minimize- This means to reduce something. It is different in meaning to avert. Hence, it is an incorrect option.
d. Prevent- This means to keep something from happening. It is similar in meaning to avert. Hence, it is the correct option.
e. Witnessed- This means to see something that has happened. It is different in meaning to avert. Hence, it is an incorrect option.
So, the correct answer is “Option d”.

Note: Prevent means to keep something from happening whereas minimize means to lessen the scope of a thing. Eg- Natural calamities cannot be prevented but their effects can be minimized.