obviate

Meanings

1. 1
   verb

   to remove the need for something; to make it unnecessary

   The new authentication flow obviates the need for a separate password reset step.

2. 2
   verb

   to anticipate and prevent a problem or difficulty

   Clear instructions can obviate many support requests.

Borrowed from Latin obviare ("to meet, withstand, hinder"), from obvius ("in the way, facing"), built from ob- ("toward, against") + via ("road, way"). The modern sense moves from blocking a problem to making it unnecessary.

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