1
as in repels
to drive back
managed to stave off the invaders
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in prevents
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 staves off
Made with Asics’ special ‘Puregel’ technology, the shoe has a cushy feel and shock absorption that staves off foot pain.
—
Jasmine Gomez, Travel + Leisure, 11 May 2026
Health policy researchers and economists say providing Medicaid coverage to immigrants for preventive services and treatment of chronic health conditions staves off more costly care for patients down the road.
—Arkansas Online, 6 Sep. 2025
Health policy researchers and economists say providing Medicaid coverage to immigrants for preventive services and treatment of chronic health conditions staves off more costly care for patients down the road.
—Angela Hart, Fortune, 5 Sep. 2025
Frequent tennis play improves bone density, which staves off fractures and osteoporosis.
—Alexandra Moe, The Atlantic, 24 Aug. 2025
Jasmine Gomez, Travel + Leisure, 11 May 2026
Health policy researchers and economists say providing Medicaid coverage to immigrants for preventive services and treatment of chronic health conditions staves off more costly care for patients down the road.
—Arkansas Online, 6 Sep. 2025
Health policy researchers and economists say providing Medicaid coverage to immigrants for preventive services and treatment of chronic health conditions staves off more costly care for patients down the road.
—Angela Hart, Fortune, 5 Sep. 2025
Frequent tennis play improves bone density, which staves off fractures and osteoporosis.
—Alexandra Moe, The Atlantic, 24 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for staves off
Verb
-
Made from moisture-wicking fabric, this workout tank naturally repels sweat to keep you cool during high-intensity workouts and outdoor activities.—
Emily Weaver,
PEOPLE,
29 May 2026
-
Sometimes that means that one plant repels bugs that often attack the other plant.—
Heather Bien,
Southern Living,
28 May 2026
Verb
-
Additional fencing went up in January around Lafayette Square, which remains under construction, and prevents access from the north.—
Matt Viser,
The Atlantic,
1 June 2026
-
That invisible effort reduces confusion, speeds execution and prevents rework.—
Expert Panel®,
Forbes.com,
1 June 2026
Verb
-
Get it before this deal turns away from your doorstep.—
Juhi Wadia,
PC Magazine,
23 Apr. 2026
-
More chatting, the camera turns away to shoot some B-roll.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
3 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
For now and unless Williams changes his mind again, the move averts a potential historic litigation where Washington planned to sue Williams over his plan to switch schools.—
Michael McCann,
Sportico.com,
8 Jan. 2026
-
The Corps project averts potential catastrophic flooding that could lay siege to about 475,000 residents, California and the nation, according to the government’s court documents.—
Ishani Desai,
Sacbee.com,
8 Nov. 2025
Verb
-
Sigmund Freud believed that every crush has a strand of disgust, that people are attracted to what repulses them.—
Daniel Felsenthal,
Vulture,
26 Mar. 2026
-
Charlie, though, is trying to keep them out of a country that thoroughly repulses him.—
Alexander Nazaryan,
New Yorker,
10 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Dalot turns back inside, and then immediately looks to play over the high press.—
Jon Mackenzie,
New York Times,
27 May 2026
-
Clayton Valley bounces back to beat Campolindo, Sacred Heart Prep shuts out San Mateo again, Gunderson turns back Del Mar.—
Darren Sabedra,
Mercury News,
1 May 2026
Verb
-
The spacious interior accommodates towels, snacks and more, while the exterior resists dirt and scuffs.—
BestReviews,
Mercury News,
2 June 2026
-
His victim, in her unassailable purity, resists him, thereby proving that the arrivistes populating the ranks of England’s most upwardly mobile class had a moral edge over the nobility.—
Becca Rothfeld,
New Yorker,
1 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Staves off.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/staves%20off. Accessed 7 Jun. 2026.
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