German word

abwenden

Pronunciation

IPA/ˈapˌvɛndn̩/

Meaning

  • verblook away

Example

Er wendet den Blick ab.

He looks away.

Illustration for abwenden (look away)

More examples

Dank schneller Maßnahmen gelang es, eine Katastrophe abwenden.

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

Core concept

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

Common phrases

  • den Blick abwenden

    avert one's gaze

  • eine Katastrophe abwenden

    prevent a catastrophe

  • sich von jemandem abwenden

    turn one's back on someone

Similar words

meiden: Regularly staying away from unpleasant people or situations.
vermeiden: Keeping away from causes or situations that could lead to an unwanted result.
ignorieren: Deliberately giving no response or attention to someone's words or actions.
sich abkehren: Turning the body or face away from someone and breaking off contact.

Definition in German

abwenden heißt, den Blick, den Körper oder die Aufmerksamkeit von etwas wegzubringen; reflexiv häufig verwendet, um Ablehnung oder Distanz auszudrücken.

Word origin

"Abwenden" is a Germanic compound of "ab-" and "wenden", whose older sense of turning developed into physical and figurative turning away.

Usage tips

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

Other meanings

  • turn one's backverb
  • avoidverb
  • ward offverb

Opposites

  • zuwendendirect one's attention towardverb
  • hinwendenturn one's eyes towardverb

Related words

  • Abwendungavertingnoun
  • abwendbarpreventableadjective

Word lists with this word