staves off

verb

present tense third-person singular of stave off
1
as in repels
to drive back managed to stave off the invaders

Synonyms & Similar Words

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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

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of staves off The good news is that the study also found that movement — in the right amounts and at the right times — staves off muscle laziness and might make sitting a little less unhealthy. — Gretchen Reynolds, Washington Post, 28 Oct. 2026 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 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
  1. repels
  2. prevents
  3. turns away
  4. averts
  5. repulses
  6. turns back
  7. resists
Verb
  • The Luxury Pillow keeps your head and neck in the ideal position to stay asleep all night, made with soft bamboo viscose material that naturally repels common household non-living allergens.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 24 Oct. 2026
  • The exteriors are made with waterproof mesh that dries quickly and repels water, and spacious toe boxes will never squeeze your feet or cause discomfort.
    — Merrell Readman, Travel + Leisure, 5 Oct. 2026
Definition of repels
Verb
  • Hemphill says doing the main pruning in spring prevents winter damage to tender young shoots and gives them a clean start for the new season.
    — The Spruce, The Spruce, 8 Nov. 2026
  • If the state offers a public benefit to everyone but someone’s religious belief prevents them from being able to obtain that public benefit (in this case, 15 hours of funding for each student), must the state bend to accommodate that belief?
    — Megan Schrader, Denver Post, 7 Nov. 2026
Definition of prevents
Verb
  • The insect naturally turns away when an antenna touches an obstacle.
    — New Atlas, New Atlas, 18 July 2026
  • The bear, seemingly frightened, quickly turns away from the boy and continues running, sliding under a boat parked in the driveway.
    — Mason Leib, ABC News, 7 July 2026
Definition of turns away
Verb
  • But multiple studies have shown the flu vaccine reduces the disease’s severity and averts hospitalizations and deaths.
    — Lena H. Sun, Washington Post, 4 Oct. 2026
  • At every save point, the game forces James to stare at his reflection, and after the story’s plot twist, James averts his eyes, unable to face his own guilt.
    — Zackery Cuevas, PC Magazine, 21 Sep. 2026
Definition of averts
Verb
  • Her widowed aunt plays chaperone as Susanna attends heady lectures and repulses her many suitors.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 5 Oct. 2026
  • 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
Definition of repulses
Verb
  • Activists say their new constitutional amendment will help ensure that Virginia stays a safe haven for access, even if the state turns back to Republican control in future years.
    — Rachel Cohen Booth, Vox, 4 Nov. 2026
  • Those talks have since stalled as Tehran focuses on negotiating the future of the Strait of Hormuz and Washington turns back to diplomacy.
    — Leila Gharagozlou, CNN Money, 20 Sep. 2026
Definition of turns back
Verb
  • Here, the screen is also supported by a new hinge that effectively resists wobble while remaining easy to open with one hand.
    — Joe Osborne, PC Magazine, 5 Nov. 2026
  • Caribbean countries are attempting to participate as equal partners, while Britain, the former imperial center, resists meaningful engagement with the historical foundations of its wealth and power.
    — Brooke N. Newman, The Conversation, 29 Oct. 2026
Definition of resists

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Cite this Entry

“Staves off.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/staves%20off. Accessed 13 Nov. 2026.

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