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
And this was on a night when Doncic scored 41 points on 15-of-25 shooting (5 for 10 from 3-point range) as the Lakers staved off the Brooklyn Nets, finally pulling away for a 116-99 win on Friday night, their 11th victory in 12 games.
—
Benjamin Royer, Oc Register, 28 Mar. 2026
While other local stores struggled, Outpost weathered the COVID-19 pandemic with support from its members and staved off staff cuts, according to Margaret Mittelstadt, director of community relations and Outpost staff member since 2004.
—Francesca Pica, jsonline.com, 23 Mar. 2026
The one-time All-Star also hit a walk-off double in the bottom of the 13th inning against the Chicago Cubs in the ’16 NLDS, ensuring the Giants staved off elimination down 2-0.
—Justice Delos Santos, Mercury News, 18 Mar. 2026
But the Rams staved off the running clock with reserve Jordan Houston draining a 3-point shot and another basket.
—Buddy Collings, The Orlando Sentinel, 13 Mar. 2026
But the penalty kill, led by goalie Matt Wright (12 saves), staved off the first to get back to one-man down, and Ryan scooped a loose puck from the neutral zone for a drive to the net.
—Tom Mulherin, Boston Herald, 8 Mar. 2026
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
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
After the 2024 season, Payton staved off competition for Webb by giving him a passing game coordinator title and a raise.
—Parker Gabriel, Denver Post, 24 Feb. 2026
Benjamin Royer, Oc Register, 28 Mar. 2026
While other local stores struggled, Outpost weathered the COVID-19 pandemic with support from its members and staved off staff cuts, according to Margaret Mittelstadt, director of community relations and Outpost staff member since 2004.
—Francesca Pica, jsonline.com, 23 Mar. 2026
The one-time All-Star also hit a walk-off double in the bottom of the 13th inning against the Chicago Cubs in the ’16 NLDS, ensuring the Giants staved off elimination down 2-0.
—Justice Delos Santos, Mercury News, 18 Mar. 2026
But the Rams staved off the running clock with reserve Jordan Houston draining a 3-point shot and another basket.
—Buddy Collings, The Orlando Sentinel, 13 Mar. 2026
But the penalty kill, led by goalie Matt Wright (12 saves), staved off the first to get back to one-man down, and Ryan scooped a loose puck from the neutral zone for a drive to the net.
—Tom Mulherin, Boston Herald, 8 Mar. 2026
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
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
After the 2024 season, Payton staved off competition for Webb by giving him a passing game coordinator title and a raise.
—Parker Gabriel, Denver Post, 24 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for staved off
Verb
-
Cilantro, a polarizing herb that’s either adored in Mexican, Southeast Asian, and Indian cuisines, or repulsed by those who detect a nauseating soapy taste.—
Catharine Kaufman,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
20 Mar. 2026
-
Nick is hired by a mafia don to confirm and then steal a priceless manuscript said to be Dante’s original Divine Comedy in his own hand, dragging Nick into an underworld he’s both repulsed by and complicit in.—
Anthony D'Alessandro,
Deadline,
19 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
On Sunday, police prevented Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa from entering the church, citing security concerns as Israel enforces a ban on gatherings in synagogues, churches and mosques during the ongoing war with Iran, which has brought missile strikes near holy sites.—
Lucia I Suarez Sang,
CBS News,
31 Mar. 2026
-
Without its approval, countries face default and can effectively be prevented from accessing long- and short-term trade credit — credit that facilitates the uninterrupted flow of goods across borders, and can be compared to a country’s life blood.—
Sven van Mourik,
The Dial,
31 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Bernhard’s barely contained incestuous desires (The Loser is only one of a suite of works about brother-sister love and hate, alongside Correction, The Lime Works, and Concrete) are the product of individual psychologies run amok and turned back on themselves, the offshoots of artistic monomania.—
Christine Smallwood,
Harpers Magazine,
24 Mar. 2026
-
Al Otro Lado, HIAS and other groups who provided assistance to the asylum seekers who were turned back at the border argued this case is about much more than the narrow legal definition of a few words.—
Alex Riggins,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
23 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Like in the Rangers’ final exhibition game Tuesday, when a Jack Leiter pitch was reversed from a ball to a strike, meaning a walk became a strikeout and a potential unraveling was thus averted.—
Kevin Sherrington
Mar. 25,
Dallas Morning News,
25 Mar. 2026
-
Those federal funds averted over 12,000 evictions in Milwaukee.—
Gina Lee Castro,
jsonline.com,
23 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Those without proof are being turned away and directed to standard parking or ride-share options, the blog noted.—
Kelly McGreal,
FOXNews.com,
1 Apr. 2026
-
Policy wonks and software engineers were turned away at the door of the conservative tech think tank Foundation for American Innovation’s reception on Monday evening, held at MAGA hot spot Butterworth’s.—
Bloomberg,
Mercury News,
30 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
If critics and cinephiles were split on, even largely repelled by, The Sphere’s digital addition of new Oz performances and visuals, the general public embraced an immersive, eventized version of the classic movie.—
David Canfield,
HollywoodReporter,
27 Mar. 2026
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The attack took place less than 24 hours after the Nigerian military repelled attacks by militants on the outskirts of Maiduguri, in what some residents say could have been planned as a distraction.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
18 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
And the president's frustration with the alliance has appeared to increase as member countries have resisted his calls to send ships to reopen the Strait of Hormuz.—
Kaia Hubbard,
CBS News,
1 Apr. 2026
-
Trump had previously resisted any package that did not include his push to overhaul federal elections known as the Save America Act.—
Sam Gringlas,
NPR,
1 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Staved off.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/staved%20off. Accessed 3 Apr. 2026.
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