Foil and Obviate

Foil

Foil verb - To prevent from achieving a goal.
Usage example: in popular fiction the hero will always foil the villain's plans

Obviate and foil are semantically related. In some cases you can use "Obviate" instead a verb "Foil".

Nearby Words: foiled, foiling

Obviate

Obviate verb - To keep from happening by taking action in advance.
Usage example: brushing regularly should obviate the need for frequent trips to the dentist

Foil and obviate are semantically related. Sometimes you can use "Foil" instead a verb "Obviate".

Nearby Word: obviating

Common collocations

attacks foil attacks obviate attacks
Cite this Source
Obviate and Foil. (2016). Retrieved 2026, August 03, from https://thesaurus.plus/related/foil/obviate
Foil & Obviate. N.p., 2016. Web. 03 Aug. 2026. <https://thesaurus.plus/related/foil/obviate>.
Obviate or Foil. 2016. Accessed August 03, 2026. https://thesaurus.plus/related/foil/obviate.
Google Ngram Viewer shows how "foil" and "obviate" have occurred on timeline