1
as in turning back
to drive back
managed to stave off the invaders
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in preventing
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 staving off
His being here—scraping, sanding, painting, sitting across the table from us for dinner most nights—had been one of the joys of the past few weeks, a way of staving off the tension of moving and the sameness of the routine with the kids and the meals and the bedtime stories and all the rest.
—
T. Coraghessan Boyle, New Yorker, 14 Sep. 2025
And no longevity-claiming therapy is considered fruitful without sound research that confirms efficacy after following a diverse cohort of humans for decades to see if the therapy is associated with extended life or staving off chronic disease.
—Alexa Mikhail, Flow Space, 5 Sep. 2025
Mexico's move is intended to protect its domestic producers from these latest tariffs while preserving internal supplies and staving off downward price pressures.
—Hugh Cameron, MSNBC Newsweek, 11 Aug. 2025
The film depicts a world where the Four are something like the Beatles, the Kennedys, the Curies, and the Brady Bunch all in one, a globe-bestriding celebrity family responsible for staving off supernatural threats and, seemingly, establishing world peace.
—Derek Robertson, The Washington Examiner, 8 Aug. 2025
T. Coraghessan Boyle, New Yorker, 14 Sep. 2025
And no longevity-claiming therapy is considered fruitful without sound research that confirms efficacy after following a diverse cohort of humans for decades to see if the therapy is associated with extended life or staving off chronic disease.
—Alexa Mikhail, Flow Space, 5 Sep. 2025
Mexico's move is intended to protect its domestic producers from these latest tariffs while preserving internal supplies and staving off downward price pressures.
—Hugh Cameron, MSNBC Newsweek, 11 Aug. 2025
The film depicts a world where the Four are something like the Beatles, the Kennedys, the Curies, and the Brady Bunch all in one, a globe-bestriding celebrity family responsible for staving off supernatural threats and, seemingly, establishing world peace.
—Derek Robertson, The Washington Examiner, 8 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for staving off
Verb
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Week 4 highlights featured Willow Glen’s comeback win over Christopher, Foothill’s Max Shuga making an amazing catch to set up the winning touchdown against San Leandro, Piedmont turning back Aragon, De La Salle holding off Grant-Sacramento and more.—
Darren Sabedra,
Mercury News,
21 Sep. 2025
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Advertisement Advertisement Lebanese President Joseph Aoun and Prime Minister Nawaf Salam have said there is no turning back on this project, despite staunch opposition from Hezbollah.—
Bilal Y. Saab,
Time,
18 Sep. 2025
Verb
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The researchers wanted to examine the circumstances surrounding those episodes to identify solutions for preventing such deaths, said Chaudhary, who is also an assistant professor in pediatrics and emergency medicine at Emory University School of Medicine in Atlanta.—
Kristen Rogers,
CNN Money,
26 Sep. 2025
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This benefit enhances the safety of the fuel cell by preventing dangerous leaks.—
Mrigakshi Dixit,
Interesting Engineering,
25 Sep. 2025
Verb
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And did a focus on militant Islamism mean turning away from threats posed by white supremacist groups?—
September 11,
NPR,
11 Sep. 2025
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Poison for one’s brand, such corporate drivel undermines trust in you and your company, turning away prospects.—
Michael Ashley,
Forbes.com,
8 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Understanding the gravity of a red flag warning and adhering to these precautions is paramount in averting wildfires during these perilous conditions.—
CA Weather Bot,
Sacbee.com,
26 Sep. 2025
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The universal vaccine recommendation that was in place in this scenario was projected to reduce hospitalizations by 11% and deaths by 13% – essentially averting 104,000 hospitalizations and 9,000 deaths.—
Deidre McPhillips,
CNN Money,
18 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Realistically, your best chance of success at naturally repelling rats may be using predator urine, repellent pouches, or ultrasonic devices that require less worry and upkeep.—
Mary Cornetta,
Better Homes & Gardens,
22 Sep. 2025
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Vietnam's Duc Phuc, whose song was based on a folktale about a king famous for repelling an enemy army, was crowned the strongest act by a jury made up of participating countries.—
Andrew Osborn,
USA Today,
21 Sep. 2025
Verb
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On Instagram, Kelly regularly shares snaps of her family life — including photos of her girls heading off to their first days of school last month.—
Luke Chinman,
PEOPLE,
23 Sep. 2025
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However, becoming an expat is not always as simple as packing up your bags and heading off to wherever calls your name.—
Kathleen Wong,
USA Today,
5 Sep. 2025
Verb
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But Democrats have found sturdy ground resisting attempts to police their speech following the assassination of Charlie Kirk.—
David Weigel,
semafor.com,
24 Sep. 2025
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On TikTok and Instagram, hashtags like #SlowDating and #IntentionalDating have racked up thousands of views as people share stories about resisting hookup culture, choosing themselves, and taking relationships at their own pace.—
Essence,
Essence,
24 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Staving off.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/staving%20off. Accessed 29 Sep. 2025.
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