stave off

verb

staved off; staving off; staves off
Synonyms of stave offnext

transitive verb

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
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.
The ruling marks a key victory for oil companies in their bid to stave off climate change lawsuits filed by activists against them seeking damages for their operations. Jack Birle, The Washington Examiner, 17 Apr. 2026 In the later game, the Los Angeles Clippers and the Golden State Warriors are playing to stave off elimination. Andrew Greif, NBC news, 15 Apr. 2026 Corpus Christi officials have warned the city could run out of water and will release more reservoir water into Lake Corpus Christi to stave off the crisis, according to a news release Three Rivers issued on March 23. Noah Alcala Bach, San Antonio Express-News, 12 Apr. 2026 To stave off these fears, Anthropic is allowing certain tech firms to access Mythos. Justin Klawans, TheWeek, 9 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for stave off

Word History

First Known Use

1611, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of stave off was in 1611

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Stave off.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/stave%20off. Accessed 22 Apr. 2026.

Kids Definition

stave off

verb
: to force or keep away : fend off
stave off trouble

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