[Elamur Dictionary](https://md.dictionary.elamur.ai/free/en/) · [this page in HTML](https://dictionary.elamur.ai/free/en/english/obviate/)

[dictionaries](https://md.dictionary.elamur.ai/free/en/) / [English](https://md.dictionary.elamur.ai/free/en/english/) / [O](https://md.dictionary.elamur.ai/free/en/english/o/) / obviate

# obviate

verb (obviate, obviates, obviated, obviating)

«obviate» in the English dictionary: everyday — its meanings, how the lessons use it, and examples, each with its tree on Mova.

## Everyday

(formal) To remove a need or a problem, so that something is no longer necessary, as in "This obviates the need for…". [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/O/obviate/#m1)

### In the lessons

A stiff formal word used in exams, reports and official writing; it almost always comes in "obviate the need for". In everyday speech people say "avoid", "get rid of" or "means we don't need".

### Examples

- The new bridge obviates the need for a ferry. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/O/obviate/#x1)
- Labelling the boxes obviated any confusion. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/O/obviate/#x2)
- A good plan obviates the need for rushing. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/O/obviate/#x3)
- Wearing a helmet does not obviate the need to ride carefully. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/O/obviate/#x4)
- The calculator obviates the need for long division. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/O/obviate/#x5)
- Online forms obviate the need for paper. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/O/obviate/#x6)

### Note

Formal and rare. Pronounced "OB-vee-ate". Do not confuse with "obvious" (easy to see); the two words are related in origin but mean different things.

## On Mova

- [Trees and pragmatics of «obviate» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/O/obviate/): every meaning and example parsed by Mova, with its dependency tree and frames.
- [«obviate» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/obviate.html) on Mova free.