1
2
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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.
Recent Examples of stave off
And the work continues off planet as well; astronauts living on the ISS exercise hard every day to stave off the bone loss and muscle wasting that long stays in microgravity induce.
—
Mike Wall, Space.com, 3 Sep. 2025
Still, digital technology may also protect brain health by fostering social connections, known to help stave off cognitive decline.
—Paul Spann, Miami Herald, 3 Sep. 2025
House Republican Speaker Mike Johnson is currently working to stave off that effort, trying to prevent a vote on a bill that would mandate the wholesale release of the files.
—Gabe Whisnant, MSNBC Newsweek, 2 Sep. 2025
Having more rain in the spring and wetter soils going into the summer helped stave off 100 degrees, according to the NWS.
—Brayden Garcia, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 2 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for stave off
Mike Wall, Space.com, 3 Sep. 2025
Still, digital technology may also protect brain health by fostering social connections, known to help stave off cognitive decline.
—Paul Spann, Miami Herald, 3 Sep. 2025
House Republican Speaker Mike Johnson is currently working to stave off that effort, trying to prevent a vote on a bill that would mandate the wholesale release of the files.
—Gabe Whisnant, MSNBC Newsweek, 2 Sep. 2025
Having more rain in the spring and wetter soils going into the summer helped stave off 100 degrees, according to the NWS.
—Brayden Garcia, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 2 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for stave off
Recent Examples of Synonyms for stave off
Verb
-
Your attitude can repel your crush!—
USA TODAY,
USA Today,
4 Sep. 2025
-
Peppermint, spearmint, and other scented plants in the mint family will repel not only squirrels but other rodents as well.—
Mary Marlowe Leverette,
Southern Living,
4 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
On the southwestern side of the fire, hand crews and dozers began building new containment lines along Sycamore Ridge Road to prevent the westward spread of the fire from the Dinkey Creek drainage and cut the fire off close to its active edge.—
CA WILDFIRE BOT,
Sacbee.com,
6 Sep. 2025
-
When in a group, space out to prevent the current from transferring between individuals.—
STAR-TELEGRAM WEATHER BOT,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
6 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Made with soft, four-way stretch fabric that resists wrinkles and pilling, they’re built to handle long flights and repeat wears.—
Chaise Sanders,
Travel + Leisure,
7 Sep. 2025
-
No one can resist a second helping of these comforting casseroles that were made for cool autumns.—
Phoebe Evans,
Southern Living,
6 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Senate Democrats are attempting to wield their leverage over Republicans, who will need their help in a few weeks to clear a 60-vote filibuster and avert the latest shutdown deadline.—
Ramsey Touchberry,
The Washington Examiner,
5 Sep. 2025
-
Advertisement The tough talk coming from Democrats now is not all that different from what some of them were saying in March, just before Schumer and other Senate Democrats gave in and averted a shutdown.—
Nik Popli,
Time,
4 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
In November, millions of Americans will turn back their clocks, marking the end of daylight saving time in 2025.—
Haadiza Ogwude,
Cincinnati Enquirer,
4 Sep. 2025
-
Solomon, whose career has included penning big franchises (Bill & Ted, Men in Black), saw The Christophers as part of a larger turn back to first principles.—
Scott Roxborough,
HollywoodReporter,
4 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Pegula then broke again to cap a four-game run that wrapped up the set and, this time, Sabalenka quickly retrieved her bag and headed off to the locker room.—
Howard Fendrich,
Chicago Tribune,
5 Sep. 2025
-
However, becoming an expat is not always as simple as packing up your bags and heading off to wherever calls your name.—
Kathleen Wong,
USA Today,
5 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Zaldivar said in an age where more people are turning away from their faith, the declaration of the young saints is inspiring to many Catholics looking towards the future of the church.—
Lauren Costantino
September 6,
Miami Herald,
6 Sep. 2025
-
This is the perspective of someone who has turned away from a chaotic and increasingly cruel world.—
Michael Jerome Plunkett
September 5,
Literary Hub,
5 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Like Einstein, Brassard feels repulsed by the way the particles in the Bell experiment seem to have firsthand awareness of each other despite being separated by, in principle, light-years of space.—
Quanta Magazine,
Quanta Magazine,
8 Aug. 2025
-
This is something that finally repulses Ivor, and that Orla also grapples with.—
Deborah Treisman,
New Yorker,
27 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Stave off.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/stave%20off. Accessed 9 Sep. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share