FENDING OFF Synonyms: 22 Similar and Opposite Words

fending (off)

verb

present participle of fend (off)

as in turning back

to drive back the herd fended off attacking hyenas

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Recent Examples of Synonyms for fending (off)

Verb

Tide turns back to franchises Then the tide started turning back toward familiar waters.

— Andrew McGowan, Fortune, 4 Oct. 2026
Once the company and its shareholders become accustomed to such a financial boost, an environment where individual guest spending sharply increases even when domestic park attendance is soft or steady, there’s likely no turning back.

— Todd Martens, Los Angeles Times, 29 Sep. 2026

Definition of turning back

Verb

The need has existed and continues to grow while institutional and industry support keep turning away.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 5 Oct. 2026
The market distress peaked in 2024 with State Farm and Farmers announcing plans to drop tens of thousands of customers, and other major insurers turning away all new customers.

— Paige St. John, Los Angeles Times, 20 Sep. 2026

Definition of turning away

Verb

The running back, 25, had a career night in his first game with the Chiefs, tallying 173 rushing yards on 23 carries, seemingly repelling opponents which resulted in multiple Broncos missed tackles.

— Anna Lazarus Caplan, PEOPLE, 15 Sep. 2026
This includes rain-repelling treatments like Rain X, adds Musson.

— Rae Ford, Martha Stewart, 12 Sep. 2026

Definition of repelling

Verb

The two suspects were arrested on suspicion of robbery, conspiracy and resisting arrest.

— Camryn Dadey, Sacbee.com, 6 Oct. 2026
Establishing repeatable procedures helps create consistency, discipline and stronger long-term outcomes, while resisting the impulse to rush decisions gives you time to pay attention to the fundamentals rather than chase shortcuts.

— Carey Bringle, Forbes.com, 6 Oct. 2026

Definition of resisting

Verb

Liverpool are keen for the 21-year-old to gain regular senior experience with Hartberg beating off competition from a number of clubs in Switzerland and France.

— James Pearce, New York Times, 20 July 2026
The dogs had driven the woman into the surf before a tourist came to her rescue, beating off the dingoes.

— CBS News, CBS News, 28 Jan. 2026

Definition of beating off

Verb

Healthy digestion and a healthy gut play a role in staving off inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and irritable bowel syndrome (IBS).

— Vanessa Caceres, Verywell Health, 23 Sep. 2026
They are banged up, which makes clinching the division and staving off the Atlanta Braves for a first-round bye paramount over the season’s final 12 games.

— Fabian Ardaya, New York Times, 15 Sep. 2026

Definition of staving off

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“Fending (off).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/fending%20%28off%29. Accessed 7 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of fending (off)

verb

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