fend off
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
On YouTube, prospecting influencers post videos of themselves fending off bears and spelunking down old mines.
—
Jennifer Wilson, New Yorker, 4 May 2026
One of Gaspin’s challenges might be fending off competition from rival streamers and networks.
—Peter White, Deadline, 4 May 2026
Incumbent Mayor Jim Ross won reelection Saturday, securing a third and final term after fending off a challenge from businessman Steve Cavender and two other candidates.
—Sergio Candido, CBS News, 3 May 2026
In normal cycles, primaries are mostly about incumbents fending off challengers.
—Nicole Fallert, USA Today, 1 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for fend off
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Jennifer Wilson, New Yorker, 4 May 2026
One of Gaspin’s challenges might be fending off competition from rival streamers and networks.
—Peter White, Deadline, 4 May 2026
Incumbent Mayor Jim Ross won reelection Saturday, securing a third and final term after fending off a challenge from businessman Steve Cavender and two other candidates.
—Sergio Candido, CBS News, 3 May 2026
In normal cycles, primaries are mostly about incumbents fending off challengers.
—Nicole Fallert, USA Today, 1 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for fend off
Cite this Entry
“Fend off.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/fend%20off. Accessed 7 May. 2026.
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