ward off

verb

warded off; warding off; wards off
Synonyms of ward offnext
: to avoid being hit by (something)
ward off a blow
—often used figuratively
I tried different remedies to ward off a cold.

Examples of ward off in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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While reporting on wolves attacking livestock in Northern California, I was stunned to learn some shepherds put donkeys in their pastures to ward off predators. — Jack Dolan, Los Angeles Times, 8 Oct. 2026 Finally, as if to ward off any lingering party-going spirits, hotel security calmly ushered everyone back out into the witching hour. — Lauren Sanchez, Vogue, 24 Sep. 2026 One of the key pillars of an earlier essay to ward off AI harms – from Bill Gates, no less — was an inter-governmental agreement along the lines of international aviation rules or nuclear inspections. — Bhaskar Chakravorti, Fortune, 20 Sep. 2026 This could mean a once-a-week sniff could ward off a range of pathogens better than a vaccine, blocking them before the body has to mount an immune defense. — New Atlas, 15 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for ward off

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Cite this Entry

“Ward off.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ward%20off. Accessed 17 Oct. 2026.

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