avoidance
Definitions
The act of keeping away from or preventing something.
A strategy of staying away from a person, place, or situation to escape anxiety or discomfort.
The legal act of making something void or null.
Examples
His avoidance of the difficult topic made the meeting feel tense and unresolved.
Tax avoidance is a legal practice that differs significantly from tax evasion.
The therapist suggested that her constant avoidance of social situations was fueling her anxiety.
Synonyms
evasion shunning elusion abstention dodging escape refraining
Antonyms
confrontation engagement acceptance encounter participation facing pursuit