stave off
verb
staved off; staving off; staves off
1
: to fend off
staving off creditors
2
: to ward off (something adverse) : forestall
trying to stave off disaster
Examples of stave off in a Sentence
managed to stave off the invaders
the quartermaster staved off a shortage by requisitioning more than enough supplies
Recent Examples on the Web
In order to stave off potentially bruising losses in November, Republicans of all persuasions are working to get on the same messaging page to pitch voters on why their party should stay fully in power over the next few years.
—
Zachary Schermele, USA Today, 28 Mar. 2026
And this was on a night when Doncic scored 41 points on 15-of-25 shooting (5 for 10 from 3-point range) as the Lakers staved off the Brooklyn Nets, finally pulling away for a 116-99 win on Friday night, their 11th victory in 12 games.
—Benjamin Royer, Oc Register, 28 Mar. 2026
The 1820 Missouri Compromise sought to stave off secession by maintaining parity between slave and free states as they were admitted to the Union.
—Bill Steiden, Des Moines Register, 24 Mar. 2026
Maintaining ties with Tehran is crucial for containing domestic tensions and staving off an insurgency from the minority Baloch community there.
—Kyra Colah, FOXNews.com, 23 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for stave off
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Zachary Schermele, USA Today, 28 Mar. 2026
And this was on a night when Doncic scored 41 points on 15-of-25 shooting (5 for 10 from 3-point range) as the Lakers staved off the Brooklyn Nets, finally pulling away for a 116-99 win on Friday night, their 11th victory in 12 games.
—Benjamin Royer, Oc Register, 28 Mar. 2026
The 1820 Missouri Compromise sought to stave off secession by maintaining parity between slave and free states as they were admitted to the Union.
—Bill Steiden, Des Moines Register, 24 Mar. 2026
Maintaining ties with Tehran is crucial for containing domestic tensions and staving off an insurgency from the minority Baloch community there.
—Kyra Colah, FOXNews.com, 23 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for stave off
Cite this Entry
“Stave off.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/stave%20off. Accessed 2 Apr. 2026.
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