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
A week after a trio of dramatic wins by left-leaning congressional candidates in New York against incumbents and establishment picks, Bennet is trying to stave off Colorado Attorney General Phil Weiser, who has outraised him and is surging in polls.
—
Terry Collins,
USA Today,
30 June 2026
To stave off lawsuits under the Endangered Species Act, the districts agreed to leave more water in the river over time.
—
Emily Cureton Cook,
ProPublica,
26 June 2026
Therefore, building mental endurance is essential to staving off decision fatigue and reducing the judgment errors that tend to surface when a leader's cognitive reserves run low.
—
Julian Hayes Ii,
Forbes.com,
24 June 2026
But in the group stage of the competition, Gollner says awarding a point for a tie acknowledges the effort inherent in staving off defeat.
—
Harmeet Kaur,
CNN Money,
24 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for stave off
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Terry Collins,
USA Today,
30 June 2026
To stave off lawsuits under the Endangered Species Act, the districts agreed to leave more water in the river over time.
—
Emily Cureton Cook,
ProPublica,
26 June 2026
Therefore, building mental endurance is essential to staving off decision fatigue and reducing the judgment errors that tend to surface when a leader's cognitive reserves run low.
—
Julian Hayes Ii,
Forbes.com,
24 June 2026
But in the group stage of the competition, Gollner says awarding a point for a tie acknowledges the effort inherent in staving off defeat.
—
Harmeet Kaur,
CNN Money,
24 June 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 4 Jul. 2026.
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