Looking for synonyms for keep away? We’ve got you covered!
Here’s a list of other ways to say keep away.
- Avoid
- Steer clear of
- Stay away from
- Shun
- Evade
- Eschew
- Dodge
- Elude
- Sidestep
- Abstain from
- Refrain from
- Keep at bay
- Give a wide berth to
- Fend off
- Hold off
- Distance oneself from
- Circumvent
- Skirt around
- Keep clear of
- Ward off
Want to learn how to say keep away professionally? Keep reading for examples and use cases.
1. Avoid
When to use: This is a general term used in professional settings when advising to stay clear of a situation, task, or person.
Example: “To maintain impartiality, it’s important to avoid any conflicts of interest in our audits.”
2. Steer Clear of
When to use: Often used in a cautionary context, advising someone to deliberately avoid something that could be harmful or problematic.
Example: “Steer clear of making verbal agreements; always have contracts in writing.”
3. Stay Away From
When to use: Similar to ‘avoid’, it’s used to advise caution or distance from a particular situation or subject.
Example: “It’s wise to stay away from speculative investments in the current economic climate.”
4. Shun
When to use: Used in a strong sense to deliberately and persistently avoid someone or something.
Example: “The company has decided to shun suppliers that do not adhere to ethical labor practices.”
5. Evade
When to use: Typically used when avoiding something in a skillful or cunning way, especially obligations or issues.
Example: “In our financial reporting, we must not evade any of the tougher disclosure requirements.”
6. Eschew
When to use: Often used in formal or written contexts, meaning deliberately avoiding using, accepting, or engaging in something.
Example: “As a policy, we eschew any business practices that are not environmentally sustainable.”
7. Dodge
When to use: Informal term often used for avoiding something in a less straightforward or slightly deceptive way.
Example: “He managed to dodge the additional responsibilities by delegating effectively.”
8. Elude
When to use: This term implies a successful avoidance, often of something difficult to evade.
Example: “Despite the challenges, the project manager eluded common pitfalls associated with rapid scaling.”
9. Sidestep
When to use: Used when skillfully avoiding a difficulty or not directly addressing an issue.
Example: “The CEO skillfully sidestepped the controversy by focusing on the company’s future plans.”
10. Abstain from
When to use: This is used when consciously choosing not to engage in a particular action or activity.
Example: “All board members should abstain from voting on matters where they have a personal interest.”
11. Refrain from
When to use: Similar to abstain, it’s used when holding oneself back from an action or behavior.
Example: “We must refrain from any public comments that could affect the merger negotiations.”
12. Keep at Bay
When to use: Used when keeping something undesirable at a distance or preventing it from encroaching.
Example: “Effective risk management helps to keep financial losses at bay.”
13. Give a Wide Berth to
When to use: This nautical term is used metaphorically to mean keeping a safe distance from something.
Example: “In our industry, it’s wise to give a wide berth to investments in unstable regions.”
14. Fend Off
When to use: Typically used when actively keeping something away that is persistently intrusive or harmful.
Example: “The legal team worked tirelessly to fend off the unfounded claims against the company.”
15. Hold Off
When to use: Used when delaying an action or decision, often in anticipation of a better opportunity or more information.
Example: “We should hold off on the software upgrade until the third-quarter financial results are in.”
16. Distance Oneself From
When to use: This is used in a context where one needs to separate themselves from a person, group, or idea, often for ethical or strategic reasons.
Example: “The company quickly distanced itself from the controversial remarks made by its former executive.”
17. Circumvent
When to use: Often used in strategic contexts, meaning to find a way around an obstacle or challenge.
Example: “To circumvent market saturation, we will focus on innovative product development.”
18. Skirt Around
When to use: Used when avoiding dealing with something directly or evasively avoiding a direct answer or action.
Example: “During negotiations, both parties tended to skirt around the main issues.”
19. Keep Clear of
When to use: Similar to ‘avoid’, but often with an implication of physical or direct avoidance.
Example: “For compliance reasons, keep clear of any informal discussions about tender bids.”
20. Ward Off
When to use: Often used in the context of actively repelling or preventing something undesirable.
Example: “The company increased its cybersecurity measures to ward off potential data breaches.”
