✨📕 The NEWThe NEW Collegiate Dictionary, 12th Edition Over 5,000 words added — Buy Now! Collegiate DictionaryBuy Now!

fend off

phrasal verb

fended off; fending off; fends off
: to defend oneself against (someone or something)
They succeeded in fending off the attack/attackers.
They have had to fend off allegations of voter fraud.

Examples of fend off in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Teachers fended off a grizzly bear that attacked a school group walking along a trail in British Columbia, Canada, on Thursday, officials said. Brie Stimson, FOXNews.com, 23 Nov. 2025 The blitzing safety duo of Bishop Fitzgerald and Kamari Ramsey wasn’t healthy enough to play, leaving Christian Pierce and talented-but-inexperienced Kennedy Urlacher to fend off Oregon’s offense. Haley Sawyer, Oc Register, 23 Nov. 2025 Tole pepper-sprayed and then stabbed Sanchez to fend off the attack, according to court documents. Ryan Murphy, IndyStar, 22 Nov. 2025 Clark tried valiantly to fend off the Russian attack. Heather Abbott, CBS News, 17 Nov. 2025 See All Example Sentences for fend off

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Fend off.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/fend%20off. Accessed 30 Nov. 2025.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!