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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The front glass also includes an anti-smudge coating, fluorine, a material that repels grease and moisture.—
Jim Fisher,
PC Magazine,
16 Mar. 2026
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Foliage has a waxy covering that repels pests and discourages disease.—
Barbara Gillette,
The Spruce,
27 Feb. 2026
Verb
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The goal of this new chip is to solve the cable problem at sites like Fukushima Daiichi, where restrictive wiring currently prevents multiple robots from working efficiently in hazardous areas.—
Mrigakshi Dixit,
Interesting Engineering,
24 Mar. 2026
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The way the deal is currently structured prevents them from exercising influence over the governance or management of the combined company.—
Rohan Goswami,
semafor.com,
23 Mar. 2026
Verb
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And this worry usually arises when a dog turns away from food, gets a stomach ache, or loses energy.—
Lyssanoel Frater,
USA Today,
17 Feb. 2026
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My body turns away before my mind can catch up.—
Valeng Cha,
Twin Cities,
8 Feb. 2026
Verb
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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
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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
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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
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Charlie, though, is trying to keep them out of a country that thoroughly repulses him.—
Alexander Nazaryan,
New Yorker,
10 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Hearing the Creature screaming his name, Victor turns back.—
Randall Colburn,
Entertainment Weekly,
12 Mar. 2026
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Their discussion then turns back to the potential of a romance—and heartbreak—between them.—
Bailey Bujnosek,
InStyle,
21 Feb. 2026
Verb
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One of Lerner’s virtues as a writer is that his work resists this relentless gathering of data (news, text messages, posts), a gathering that’s both abundant and diffuse, and that, paradoxically, feels like a giving over of one’s mind and capacities to fuzzy abstraction.—
Hannah Gold,
Harpers Magazine,
24 Mar. 2026
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This type of steel retains its sharpness over extended use, resists corrosion and rust, and doesn't chip easily.—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
23 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Staves off.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/staves%20off. Accessed 30 Mar. 2026.
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