as in turning back
to drive back
the herd fended off attacking hyenas
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for fending (off)
Verb
-
One thing that particularly excited him was turning back the clock for exteriors on New York’s Lower East Side, where the tight shooting schedule often required the art department to transform locations as quickly as possible.—
Jim Hemphill,
IndieWire,
6 Jan. 2026 -
There’s turning back up until the deed is done.—
Kate Aurthur,
Variety,
7 Nov. 2025
Verb
-
Analysis of video from the scene of the shooting in Minneapolis done by the New York Times shows Good's vehicle appeared to be turning away from the officer.—
James Powel,
USA Today,
11 Jan. 2026
-
The videos show that her SUV was moving slowly and her wheels were turning away from the ICE agents, critics said.—
Emma Seiwell,
New York Daily News,
8 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Both types of down do a good job keeping you warm and repelling the elements.—
BestReviews,
Chicago Tribune,
1 Jan. 2026
-
Ways To Prevent Mice Scents are good at repelling mice in the yard and around the house.—
Karen Brewer Grossman,
Southern Living,
28 Dec. 2025
Verb
-
While there are dismemberments and other bits of gruesome violence to be found in the film, Badlands is largely aimed at endearing its audience rather than repulsing them.—
Richard Lawson,
HollywoodReporter,
4 Nov. 2025
Verb
-
According to the department, Sutton currently faces three counts of resisting an officer, two counts of public intimidation, two counts of battery of a police officer, one count of disturbing the peace and one count of criminal trespassing.—
Colson Thayer,
PEOPLE,
9 Jan. 2026
-
Of the many types of basil, the classic Italian 'Treviso' variety stands out for resisting bitterness, staying tender longer, and being slow to flower even as summer heats up.—
Miranda Crowell,
Better Homes & Gardens,
8 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
The dogs had driven the woman into the surf before a tourist came to her rescue, beating off the dingoes.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
20 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Your book is full of practical strategies for staving off digital exhaustion.—
Deborah Vankin,
Los Angeles Times,
13 Jan. 2026
-
Rather than reaching for the same basic jeans over and over again, celebrities have been staving off sartorial-boredom with outfit-making pants.—
Kaelin Dodge,
InStyle,
12 Jan. 2026
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.
Cite this Entry
“Fending (off).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/fending%20%28off%29. Accessed 22 Jan. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
