FEND (OFF) Synonyms: 22 Similar and Opposite Words

fend (off)

verb

Definition of fend (off)

as in to repel

to drive back the herd fended off attacking hyenas

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Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for fend (off)

Verb

In April 2025, North Korea and Russia confirmed that their soldiers fought together to repel a Ukraine incursion into Russia’s Kursk border region.

— ABC News, ABC News, 23 Sep. 2026
The York features espresso feet and comes upholstered in the retailer’s contract-grade Performance Everyday Velvet, which promises to repel liquids and resist abrasions of daily life.

— Maria Conti, Better Homes & Gardens, 19 Sep. 2026

Definition of repel

Verb

Zambia objected to provisions covering the use of health data and also resisted Washington’s effort to link the health agreement to cooperation on critical minerals.

— Yinka Adegoke, semafor.com, 25 Sep. 2026
Ayer came on board the film after reading Cameron Alexander’s script, which provoked such a strong emotional response that the director couldn’t resist taking the material on.

— Jim Hemphill, IndieWire, 25 Sep. 2026

Definition of resist

Verb

Phetchaburi Road, one of the capital’s busiest, was unusually quiet as vehicles were turned back by high water.

— Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 26 Sep. 2026
There’s political polarization and marginalization and the sort of people who want to turn back the clock and have that line of thinking that Ted Kaczynski had.

— Rachel Corbett, Vulture, 25 Sep. 2026

Definition of turn back

Verb

But 640 qualified applicants were turned away from the school’s nursing program in the last academic year because of a lack of capacity, according to college data.

— Steven Walker, The Orlando Sentinel, 25 Sep. 2026
Organizers said in a statement on Instagram that guests who were turned away will have their tickets honored this weekend on Friday and Sunday, as well as Tuesday and Wednesday nights next week.

— Madeleine Marr, Miami Herald, 25 Sep. 2026

Definition of turn away

Verb

Still, SpaceX made adjustments to the vehicle’s engines to try to stave off such problems, so engineers will likely need to pursue further tweaks.

— Jackie Wattles, CNN Money, 28 Sep. 2026
Paige Bueckers had 21 points and six rebounds for Dallas, which won seven of eight to end the season to earn the seventh seed and will now try to stave off elimination at home.

— CBS News, CBS News, 28 Sep. 2026

Definition of stave off

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fending (off)

fend (off)

fends

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“Fend (off).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/fend%20%28off%29. Accessed 30 Sep. 2026.

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Synonyms of fend (off)

verb

Example Sentences

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