Did the Washington treaty avert an Anglo-American war?

Did the Washington Naval Treaty prevent a likely war between Britain and the United States?

Probably not: it curbed a possible building race, but neither country had the political will, funding or strategic reason for war.

The claim that the treaty rescued Britain and the United States from an otherwise imminent conflict does not fit the political setting. The US Senate was unlikely to fund an unlimited race, while the Royal Navy already held a numerical advantage and lacked a plausible objective for aggressive war. Both democracies were also communicating within the post-First World War diplomatic system rather than assembling hostile alliance blocs. The treaty could restrain expenditure without being the sole barrier against an Anglo-American war.