fend (off)

verb

Definition of fend (off)next
as in to repel
to drive back the herd fended off attacking hyenas

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for fend (off)
  1. repel
  2. resist
  3. turn back
  4. repulse
  5. turn away
  6. stave off
Verb
  • Ukrainian drone defenses, minefields, and artillery effectively repelled the attack, inflicting heavy losses including seven tanks and over 150 casualties.
    — Vikram Mittal, Forbes.com, 29 July 2026
  • Plants that will help repel pests that are harmful to jalapeños include basil, garlic, chives, rosemary, marigolds, and onions.
    — Karen Brewer Grossman, Southern Living, 28 July 2026
Definition of repel
Verb
  • If someone pushes back, resist turning it into a battle for dominance.
    — Tarot.com, The Orlando Sentinel, 27 July 2026
  • And, apparently, her husband Prince Harry couldn’t resist the opportunity to crash.
    — Meg Walters, InStyle, 26 July 2026
Definition of resist
Verb
  • The two-day event was scheduled on Saturday to include a parade, which was to begin in Mitte, in central Berlin, wind its way south into Schöneberg, then turn back northward toward Brandenburg Gate.
    — Kevin Shalvey, ABC News, 26 July 2026
  • Once the water is turned back on, the bread dissolves and simply washes through the plumbing system.
    — Alesandra Dubin, Southern Living, 25 July 2026
Definition of turn back
Verb
  • Philly may be shedding its second-fiddle status, but it remains entirely repulsed by frauds and underachievers.
    — Dana O’Neil, CNN Money, 24 July 2026
  • Plenty of people bought it, plenty were repulsed by it.
    — George Caulkin, New York Times, 11 June 2026
Definition of repulse
Verb
  • Some are even turning away from other top-tier brands due to lack of transparency.
    — Paige Reddinger, Robb Report, 26 July 2026
  • Rookie Brian Schwake turned away four shots for Nashville (12-2-3), which had won five in a row and gone 8-0-2 during its unbeaten run.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 25 July 2026
Definition of turn away
Verb
  • Brownsville residents already staved off efforts by Hialeah to annex part of the neighborhood into the city back in 2023 – an effort Pinkney fought furiously against.
    — Raisa Habersham, Miami Herald, 30 July 2026
  • Perreault-Magny, a father of a toddler, said he's seen mothers carrying infants through the woods, their feet wrapped in aluminum foil to stave off the winter's cold.
    — Trevor Hughes, USA Today, 29 July 2026
Definition of stave off
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.

Browse Nearby Words

fending (off)
fend (off)
fends
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Cite this Entry

“Fend (off).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/fend%20%28off%29. Accessed 2 Aug. 2026.

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