From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishobviateob‧vi‧ate /ˈɒbvieɪt $ ˈɑːb-/ verb [transitive] formalNEED to prevent or avoid a problem or the need to do something SYN eliminate The new treatment obviates the need for surgery.→ See Verb table
Examples from the Corpus
obviate• This interpretation obviates a problem that can not be resolved on the views of Guthrie, Rohde, and Nilsson.• The widening or duplication of tunnels to obviate one way working of wide barges soas to avoid long delays.• They rolled up and down perfectly and their presence obviated the need for curtains.• He also expressed optimism that an acceptable constitutional arrangement could be agreed which would obviate the need for Quebec to seek independence.• The settlement, which concluded four months of negotiations, obviated the need for the separate cases to be heard in court.• The goal is simply to raise serum sodium enough to obviate the risk of seizures.• The practice above suggested should obviate this.obviates the need• Its composition obviates the need for sulphur-removing equipment in power stations, which produce additional carbon dioxide.Origin obviate (1500-1600) Late Latin past participle of obviare “to meet, be unharmed by”, from Latin obviam “in the way” 