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 a March 2025 review in Frontiers in Aging Neuroscience, researchers reported how studies have shown that exercise can stave off dementia by interrupting inflammatory cell death from necroptosis.
—
Emilie Le Beau Lucchesi, Discover Magazine, 21 Apr. 2025
Just be sure to pair this product with a rich moisturizer to help stave off dryness.
—Emily Orofino, Vogue, 19 Apr. 2025
So while the Trump administration says the tap for Sudan is still on, aid groups trying to stave off starvation say the total amount has been reduced and the entire system has been paralyzed, cutting off food for weeks at a time in a place where few can afford to miss a single meal.
—Declan Walsh, New York Times, 19 Apr. 2025
His comments come as lawmakers are working to stave off a potential default on the national debt.
—Aris Folley, The Hill, 18 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for stave off
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Emilie Le Beau Lucchesi, Discover Magazine, 21 Apr. 2025
Just be sure to pair this product with a rich moisturizer to help stave off dryness.
—Emily Orofino, Vogue, 19 Apr. 2025
So while the Trump administration says the tap for Sudan is still on, aid groups trying to stave off starvation say the total amount has been reduced and the entire system has been paralyzed, cutting off food for weeks at a time in a place where few can afford to miss a single meal.
—Declan Walsh, New York Times, 19 Apr. 2025
His comments come as lawmakers are working to stave off a potential default on the national debt.
—Aris Folley, The Hill, 18 Apr. 2025
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 3 May. 2025.
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