MEANING
To make a difficulty, risk, or need unnecessary or no longer relevant.
Use it for
Words that belong together
- obviate the need
- obviate a difficulty
On the page
The bridge obviated the need for a dangerous river crossing.
A second key would obviate this difficulty.
Nearby words
Related words
Word forms
- Base
- obviate
- Past tense
- obviated
- Past participle
- obviated
- Present participle
- obviating
Full tense & aspect guide
- Present
- obviate
- Present continuous
- am/is/are obviating
- Present perfect
- have/has obviated
- Present perfect continuous
- have/has been obviating
- Past
- obviated
- Past continuous
- was/were obviating
- Past perfect
- had obviated
- Past perfect continuous
- had been obviating
- Future
- will obviate
- Future continuous
- will be obviating
- Future perfect
- will have obviated
- Future perfect continuous
- will have been obviating
Choose the auxiliary that agrees with your subject. These are constructions of one word, not separate entries.
Explore related collections
Usage notes
Primary category: literary. Forms: obviate; obviates; obviated; obviated; obviating Legacy lexical fields mirror sense 1 only. Use numbered sense fields for all meanings. Third-person singular: obviates.
Practice this word in a sentenceYour margin notes
Keep a thought for later. Sign in to save privately.