What is the difference between "vehicle" "outlet" and "avenue"?

[starforce]

According to Lexico Dictionary, the three words are defined as:

1. Vehicle

a thing used to express, embody, or fulfill something:

Example: "I use paint as a vehicle for my ideas"

1. Outlet

a means of expressing one's talents, energy, or emotions:

Example: "writing became the main outlet for his energies"

1. Avenue

a way of approaching a problem or making progress toward something:

Example: "three possible avenues of research suggested themselves"

I'll try my best to state my intentions for asking this question: I came across these 3 words while reading some books and noticed that they seemingly have a similarity--that similarity being "a means of attaining something". I've asked some friends if my analysis is right; all of them say no. So I'm posting this question to get people's opinions on whether I am right on these 3 words sharing a similarity and if my analysis is also correct. If I'm wrong, tell me where my interpretation is wrong.

 

[jutfrank]

It's not that you're completely wrong but rather that what you're doing is useless and misguided. That's probably what your friends mean when they say your analysis isn't right.

A vehicle is a thing that takes you from point A to point B. Think of your car.

An outlet is a point where energy can escape from a closed system. Think of the exhaust pipe on your car.

An avenue is a route of passage via which you can get from point A to point B. Think of the street you're driving along in your car.

If you want to understand the meaning of a word, start with the most literal sense of the word and go from there.

 

[tedmc]

"I use paint as a vehicle for my ideas".
"Vehicle" in the context of art is a medium of expression of ideas. feelings and emotions, like pen, pencil, charcoal, crayon, etc.