as in repels
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 fends (off)
Verb
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The windshield repels the huddled form and the thump on the pavement sounds like a rebuke.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
7 Nov. 2025 -
It’s made from solid red wood cedar that’s water-resistant, won’t decay, and repels insects.—
Shea Simmons,
Southern Living,
6 Nov. 2025
Verb
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The research team revealed that plastination is a new method for managing moisture in wood by replacing water in the cellular structure with a silicone compound to create a durable, hydrophobic barrier that resists swelling, rotting, and cracking.—
Prabhat Ranjan Mishra,
Interesting Engineering,
6 Nov. 2025
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So, for me, that was the creation of the Anti-American Speech Committee, which is a government panel essentially designed to prosecute artists for holding views or creating work that resists basically the fascist state that has overtaken the American government.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
3 Nov. 2025
Verb
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Doing so will ensure your paperwork is processed and ready to go when the spigot turns back on.—
Cathie Anderson,
Sacbee.com,
30 Oct. 2025
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And Keenan Allen turns back the clock.—
Joe Nguyen,
Denver Post,
21 Sep. 2025
Verb
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The Spaniard receives with his back to goal and turns away from Morato before being brought down.—
Anantaajith Raghuraman,
New York Times,
19 Oct. 2025
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And surely enough, the club’s focus soon turns away from their increasingly baffling cold case and onto a more pressing one.—
Manuel Betancourt,
Variety,
22 Aug. 2025
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Cite this Entry
“Fends (off).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/fends%20%28off%29. Accessed 10 Nov. 2025.
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