English–German

“look away” in German

German

Pronunciation

IPA/ˈapˌvɛndn̩/

Example

Er wendet den Blick ab.

He looks away.

Illustration for abwenden (look away)

How to say “look away” in German

“Look away” in German is abwenden.

A turn redirects something away from its target, whether a gaze, attention, or danger.

Full entry for abwenden: usage tips, similar words and word origin

Example sentences with abwenden

Dank schneller Maßnahmen gelang es, eine Katastrophe abwenden.

Thanks to swift measures, it was possible to prevent a catastrophe.

Tips for using abwenden

  • The non-reflexive verb can mean avert or ward off, so "eine Gefahr abwenden" refers to preventing danger rather than merely looking away.

“look away” in other languages