If you avoid something, you try not to do it. That doesn’t mean you don’t do it–you just try very hard not to do the action, go to a certain place, or meet with certain people:
Jeremy avoids taking that highway because it’s always busy.
Helen is trying to avoid french fries. They’re bad for her diet.
Avoid people who are a bad influence.
This word is often followed by a gerund:
Neal avoids overeating because it’s unhealthy.
The doctor told me to avoid smoking, but I want to quit smoking entirely.
You should avoid driving in that part of the city. It’s too dangerous.
Bertha avoids working on the weekend because she wants to be at home with her family.
She’s avoiding her boss.