To avoid doing something, or to avoid something
avoid verb
to choose not to do something in order to achieve a better result
get out of phrase
to avoid doing something that you should do or that you said you would do
duck out of phrase
to avoid doing something that you were intending to do or had promised to do
abstain verb
to deliberately avoid doing something that is enjoyable but that may not be healthy, safe, or morally right
shirk verb
to avoid doing something difficult, or to avoid accepting responsibility for something
evade verb
to avoid accepting or dealing with something that you should do
skip verb
to avoid doing or having something
wriggle out of (doing) something phrase
to avoid doing something by making excuses
flinch from (doing) something phrase
to avoid dealing with a difficult responsibility or decision
sweep something under the carpet phrase
to try to avoid dealing with a problem