General avoidance:
* Evade: To escape or avoid by cleverness or cunning.
* Elude: To escape from, especially by being quick or skillful.
* Sidestep: To avoid dealing with a problem or issue.
* Circumvent: To go around or avoid something.
* Bypass: To go around or avoid something.
* Dodge: To move quickly and skillfully to avoid being hit.
* Eschew: To avoid or abstain from something.
* Shun: To deliberately avoid someone or something.
* Refrain from: To avoid doing something.
* Keep clear of: To stay away from something.
* Stay away from: To avoid being near something.
* Keep at bay: To prevent something from getting close.
* Flee: To run away from something.
* Shirk: To avoid responsibility or work.
To avoid something unpleasant:
* Prevent: To stop something from happening.
* Preclude: To make something impossible.
* Head off: To prevent something from happening.
* Forestall: To prevent something from happening.
* Ward off: To prevent something bad from happening.
To avoid contact with someone:
* Disregard: To ignore someone or something.
* Disavow: To deny any connection with someone or something.
* Disown: To refuse to acknowledge someone as a family member.
* Cut off: To stop communication with someone.
* Distance oneself from: To avoid being associated with someone.
More informal words:
* Skip: To avoid doing something.
* Duck: To avoid something quickly.
* Give a wide berth: To stay far away from something.
* Get out of the way: To avoid being hit by something.
* Stay away from: To avoid being near something.
The best word to use will depend on the context of the sentence.