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as in to prevent
to keep from happening by taking action in advance
the quartermaster staved off a shortage by requisitioning more than enough supplies
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of stave off
The University of Miami women’s basketball team, back in the Atlantic Coast Conference tournament after missing out last season, staved off a furious comeback by Stanford to win the opening game 83-76 in overtime on Wednesday.
—
Michelle Kaufman, Miami Herald, 4 Mar. 2026
Democrats hope that dissatisfaction will translate to voters, with Republicans looking to stave off losses in November.
—From Staff Reports, Dallas Morning News, 3 Mar. 2026
The loan will help sustain Caltrain, Muni, AC Transit, and BART as state leaders pursue long-term funding through a potential November sales tax measure that could stave off a transit doomsday scenario of station closures and service cutbacks.
—Grace Hase, Mercury News, 2 Mar. 2026
Khamenei staved off that adjustment for nearly four decades through force of will, brutality, and the conviction that bending would mean breaking.
—Karim Sadjadpour, The Atlantic, 28 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for stave off
Michelle Kaufman, Miami Herald, 4 Mar. 2026
Democrats hope that dissatisfaction will translate to voters, with Republicans looking to stave off losses in November.
—From Staff Reports, Dallas Morning News, 3 Mar. 2026
The loan will help sustain Caltrain, Muni, AC Transit, and BART as state leaders pursue long-term funding through a potential November sales tax measure that could stave off a transit doomsday scenario of station closures and service cutbacks.
—Grace Hase, Mercury News, 2 Mar. 2026
Khamenei staved off that adjustment for nearly four decades through force of will, brutality, and the conviction that bending would mean breaking.
—Karim Sadjadpour, The Atlantic, 28 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for stave off
Recent Examples of Synonyms for stave off
Verb
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Grow Repellant Plants Some plants entice gophers to visit gardens, while other plants naturally repel gophers and other pests away from flower and vegetable beds.—
Lauren Landers,
Better Homes & Gardens,
4 Mar. 2026
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The constitution also states that the president is the commander in chief of the armed forces and preserves his or her ability to repel sudden attacks.—
Jeff Wagner,
CBS News,
3 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Two months after the anniversary of the devastating Southern California firestorms, several legislators at the state Capitol unveiled a package of bills aimed at preventing wildfires and lessening their harms.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
5 Mar. 2026
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One hour before bed, to promote digestion of foods eaten throughout the day and prevent bedtime indigestion.—
Sarah Bence,
Verywell Health,
4 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Score decorative pillows by Sunbrella and Kelly Clarkson Home that resist moisture and fading, offering comfortable lounge accessories that add a pop of color—and when temperatures drop, there’s even an outdoor-friendly throw blanket.—
Mariana Best,
Better Homes & Gardens,
6 Mar. 2026
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He is charged with multiple counts of battery on an officer, resisting arrest and possession of multiple drugs with intent to sell.—
Abby Dodge,
CBS News,
5 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Today’s parents grew up in a world where vaccines averted preventable diseases, or at least lessened the toll of those illnesses if infection occurred.—
Helen Branswell,
STAT,
2 Mar. 2026
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The Ducks’ fourth line toiled low in the zone, and after the Jets hustled to avert the threat there, Trouba’s ostensibly harmless fling from the far corner found the net, appearing to hit Winnipeg defenseman Ville Heinola’s stick first.—
Andrew Knoll,
Oc Register,
28 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Once your pair crunchy snap peas with peppery arugula, a sweet and zippy homemade dressing, and garlicky toasted breadcrumbs, there is no turning back.—
Mary Shannon Wells,
Southern Living,
4 Mar. 2026
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So, crude oil imported to California from the Gulf Coast states must first sail east to the Bahamas before turning back west to California.—
John Ramos,
CBS News,
4 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Johnson will block a push by moderate House Republicans for a vote on renewing expiring Obamacare subsidies, quashing a last-ditch effort to head off a spike in insurance premiums.—
Greg Iacurci,
CNBC,
6 Mar. 2026
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Quarterback Wyatt Brown, instead of heading off to West Virginia, has been training in the 400 to gain speed for his college season this fall.—
Eric Sondheimer,
Los Angeles Times,
4 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Narratively, Daniel Craig’s returning lead Benoit Blanc takes a back pew to the conflict between a sensitive priest and a malignant monsignor who has turned away from Jesus’ teachings.—
Amy Nicholson,
Los Angeles Times,
10 Mar. 2026
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At the same time, a number of private equity players that have been active in the past, like Eurazeo and Carlyle, are said to be turning away from beauty.—
Kathryn Hopkins,
Footwear News,
10 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Charlie, though, is trying to keep them out of a country that thoroughly repulses him.—
Alexander Nazaryan,
New Yorker,
10 Feb. 2026
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And Republicans are among those repulsed by the ongoing scandals.—
Orlando Sentinel Editorial Board,
The Orlando Sentinel,
6 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Stave off.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/stave%20off. Accessed 11 Mar. 2026.
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