obviate the need

Meaning

To remove a difficulty, obstacle, or requirement, thereby making a planned action or resource no longer necessary. This is a highly formal expression frequently used in business proposals, reports, and strategic planning.

Examples

• Implementing this software will obviate the need for manual data entry.

  Implementing this software will obviate the need for manual data entry.

• The new automated system should obviate the need for overnight shifts.

  The new automated system should obviate the need for overnight shifts.

• A successful merger could obviate the need for aggressive cost-cutting measures.

  A successful merger could obviate the need for aggressive cost-cutting measures.

• We hope this compromise will obviate the need for prolonged litigation.

  We hope this compromise will obviate the need for prolonged litigation.

• A clearer policy would obviate the need for constant managerial approval.

  A clearer policy would obviate the need for constant managerial approval.

Common Mistakes

• ✗ This will obviate the need of hiring more staff.

  ✓ This will obviate the need to hire more staff.

  Use 'the need to [verb]' or 'the need for [noun]' after 'obviate', not 'the need of [verb-ing]'.

• ✗ We must obviate the need from occurring.

  ✓ We must obviate the need for additional meetings.

  Obviate means to prevent or make unnecessary. You do not 'obviate a need from occurring' because the verb already contains the concept of prevention.

Related Expressions

Practice

• Adopting cloud storage will ___ for physical servers.

  💡 eliminate the requirement

  Show answer

  obviate the need

• A direct agreement between the parties would ___ for legal arbitration.

  💡 make unnecessary

  Show answer

  obviate the need