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
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
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
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Wool rugs maintain their shape and texture more easily than any synthetic blend due to their durable fiber quality, which also naturally repels dirt and dust.—
Julia Harrison,
Architectural Digest,
6 Oct. 2025
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This creates a protective barrier that repels fingerprints and gives your appliances a sparkling finish.—
Mary Cornetta,
Better Homes & Gardens,
19 Sep. 2025
Verb
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That isn’t to say that consensus culture prevents innovation or agility—Autio offers Sweden’s vibrant start-up sector as evidence to the contrary.—
Adam Gale,
Fortune,
9 Oct. 2025
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Plus, its thread-free design prevents claws from getting hooked in the stitching.—
Mariana Best,
Better Homes & Gardens,
8 Oct. 2025
Verb
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And surely enough, the club’s focus soon turns away from their increasingly baffling cold case and onto a more pressing one.—
Manuel Betancourt,
Variety,
22 Aug. 2025
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Broadly, debanking is an umbrella term for when a bank turns away a potential customer, which can happen for a ton of reasons.—
Allison Morrow,
CNN Money,
6 Aug. 2025
Verb
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Critics also said that the 11th hour change will further complicate efforts to reach a deal that averts a shutdown.—
Erin Doherty,
CNBC,
3 Sep. 2025
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The settlement averts what promised to be a high-profile trial.—
Daniel Arkin,
NBC news,
18 Aug. 2025
Verb
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And Keenan Allen turns back the clock.—
Joe Nguyen,
Denver Post,
21 Sep. 2025
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Law plays Jake Friedken, a hotshot restaurant owner whose life is thrown into chaos when his black sheep older brother, Vince (Jason Bateman), turns back up after years on the run.—
Patrick Ryan,
USA Today,
19 Sep. 2025
Verb
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The robot easily resists my first ginger shove.—
Billy Perrigo,
Time,
9 Oct. 2025
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The long-wearing formula sets to a semi-matte finish that resists oil and humidity, too.—
Sarah Han,
Allure,
9 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Staves off.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/staves%20off. Accessed 13 Oct. 2025.
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