1
as in repulsed
to drive back
managed to stave off the invaders
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in prevented
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
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Recent Examples of staved off
Curl’s interception staved off a threat, sending the crowd into silence.
—
Los Angeles Times, 19 Jan. 2026
Beverly’s defense had no answer for Vella, and classmate Jimmy Farrell staved off a mid-week sickness to deliver a clinic on his home floor with an immaculate midrange shooting.
—Justin Barrasso, Boston Herald, 17 Jan. 2026
The longer the inevitable was staved off, the harsher the eventual adjustment.
—Edward Lotterman, Twin Cities, 26 Oct. 2025
For years, the county's transit system has been hurtling toward a fiscal cliff, staved off by federal pandemic aid and an increase in tax levy support.
—Vanessa Swales, jsonline.com, 17 Oct. 2025
However, after another bargaining session, the parties agreed Saturday on a new tentative contract and staved off a strike of over 4,000 workers.
—Kyle Martin, Mercury News, 13 Oct. 2025
Talking with a media scrum after his team staved off a relentless Crimsons team, the veteran head coach was happy after getting beat by Manual the past two seasons.
—Rich Barak, Louisville Courier Journal, 11 Oct. 2025
Varland would later give up the go-ahead home run to second baseman Jazz Chisholm, and the Yankees staved off elimination with a dramatic come-from-behind win.
—Jackson Roberts, MSNBC Newsweek, 8 Oct. 2025
Infielder Miguel Rojas broke into a full sprint and dove to get the third out at third base, giving Snell a sixth scoreless inning and maintaining the stalemate while the Dodgers staved off having to go to the bullpen.
—Fabian Ardaya, New York Times, 7 Oct. 2025
Los Angeles Times, 19 Jan. 2026
Beverly’s defense had no answer for Vella, and classmate Jimmy Farrell staved off a mid-week sickness to deliver a clinic on his home floor with an immaculate midrange shooting.
—Justin Barrasso, Boston Herald, 17 Jan. 2026
The longer the inevitable was staved off, the harsher the eventual adjustment.
—Edward Lotterman, Twin Cities, 26 Oct. 2025
For years, the county's transit system has been hurtling toward a fiscal cliff, staved off by federal pandemic aid and an increase in tax levy support.
—Vanessa Swales, jsonline.com, 17 Oct. 2025
However, after another bargaining session, the parties agreed Saturday on a new tentative contract and staved off a strike of over 4,000 workers.
—Kyle Martin, Mercury News, 13 Oct. 2025
Talking with a media scrum after his team staved off a relentless Crimsons team, the veteran head coach was happy after getting beat by Manual the past two seasons.
—Rich Barak, Louisville Courier Journal, 11 Oct. 2025
Varland would later give up the go-ahead home run to second baseman Jazz Chisholm, and the Yankees staved off elimination with a dramatic come-from-behind win.
—Jackson Roberts, MSNBC Newsweek, 8 Oct. 2025
Infielder Miguel Rojas broke into a full sprint and dove to get the third out at third base, giving Snell a sixth scoreless inning and maintaining the stalemate while the Dodgers staved off having to go to the bullpen.
—Fabian Ardaya, New York Times, 7 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for staved off
Verb
-
For reasons that are quite possibly too unbearable to contemplate, a large group of American voters was not repulsed by such slander—they were actually aroused by it—and our politics have not been the same.—
Jeffrey Goldberg,
The Atlantic,
6 Jan. 2026
-
Nicole is the kind of wife who moves out of her father’s home into her husband’s home, and who has been taught to be repulsed by the mushroom spores covering her body, just like all the women in their community.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
2 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
At the time, Caucus leadership cited Metra delays as a factor that may have prevented some members from reaching the Gorton Center before voting closed.—
Daniel I. Dorfman,
Chicago Tribune,
27 Jan. 2026
-
Officials prevented the officer's entry and activated emergency protocols issued by the Ministry of Foreign Relations and Human Mobility, according to the consulate.—
Nicole Sganga,
CBS News,
27 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
In early 2013, having ticked her Antarctica box, Koch turned back to her other great passion and applied for admission to NASA’s 21st astronaut class.—
Jeffrey Kluger,
Time,
29 Jan. 2026
-
Things got off to an inauspicious start when Air Force One was turned back by mechanical issues.—
Dave Goldiner,
New York Daily News,
24 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
That crisis ultimately was averted, though, by the mid-November congressional compromise that temporarily reopened the federal government.—
Keith M. Phaneuf,
Hartford Courant,
30 Jan. 2026
-
In the case of Meta (META) , shares recaptured the 200-day and gapped above it – crisis averted for now.—
Jay Woods,
CNBC,
29 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
London is so old that wheelchair users are routinely turned away from restaurants, bars, and hotels simply because steps are deemed too beautiful or too invaluable to be replaced or supplemented by ramps.—
Sophie Morgan,
Condé Nast Traveler,
28 Jan. 2026
-
Adi turned away as the needle found its vein, scanning the other man for a reaction but finding none.—
Jonathan Miles,
Harpers Magazine,
27 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
And there were the soldiers of the Army of the Potomac’s II Corps, who successfully repelled Lee’s frontal assault on the Union center.—
Jamelle Bouie,
Mercury News,
29 Jan. 2026
-
The polarising move attracted the right people and repelled the wrong ones without her spending any energy filtering.—
Jodie Cook,
Forbes.com,
21 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
What tends to be lost in the record is how stubbornly Jefferson resisted change.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
29 Jan. 2026
-
Throughout his appearances in court and trial hearings, Yoon has repeatedly resisted investigators’ attempts to question him about his wife.—
Jessie Yeung,
CNN Money,
28 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Staved off.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/staved%20off. Accessed 1 Feb. 2026.
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