as in turning back
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 fending (off)
Verb
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Beiersdorf brand Nivea is turning back time in a new partnership with beloved Y2K clothing brand Juicy Couture.—
Kaleigh Werner,
Footwear News,
3 Oct. 2025 -
Week 4 highlights featured Willow Glen’s comeback win over Christopher, Foothill’s Max Shuga making an amazing catch to set up the winning touchdown against San Leandro, Piedmont turning back Aragon, De La Salle holding off Grant-Sacramento and more.—
Darren Sabedra,
Mercury News,
21 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Steve Rubell, as a sort of publicity stunt, had started turning away celebrities in order to make the newspapers.—
Michael Schulman,
New Yorker,
12 Oct. 2025
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Coders are now turning away from many of the public expressions of interest in different languages (like Google searches and Stack Exchange queries), which have served as key metrics for the ranking since 2013.—
IEEE Spectrum,
IEEE Spectrum,
9 Oct. 2025
Verb
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In the first episode, the recruits wasted no time in repelling from a helicopter hovering in the air.—
Raechal Shewfelt,
Entertainment Weekly,
26 Sep. 2025
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Realistically, your best chance of success at naturally repelling rats may be using predator urine, repellent pouches, or ultrasonic devices that require less worry and upkeep.—
Mary Cornetta,
Better Homes & Gardens,
22 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Three months prior, he was arrested for drug possession, DUI, and resisting arrest in Florida.—
Armon Sadler,
VIBE.com,
8 Oct. 2025
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The two were charged with assault and battery on a police officer, resisting arrest, disorderly conduct and malicious destruction of property over $1,200.—
Adam Sabes,
FOXNews.com,
8 Oct. 2025
Verb
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The language used by American fans towards European players at Bethpage Black became a flashpoint during last weekend’s tournament, which Europe won 15-13 after staving off a dramatic US fightback on Sunday.—
George Ramsay,
CNN Money,
2 Oct. 2025
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His being here—scraping, sanding, painting, sitting across the table from us for dinner most nights—had been one of the joys of the past few weeks, a way of staving off the tension of moving and the sameness of the routine with the kids and the meals and the bedtime stories and all the rest.—
T. Coraghessan Boyle,
New Yorker,
14 Sep. 2025
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Cite this Entry
“Fending (off).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/fending%20%28off%29. Accessed 15 Oct. 2025.
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