stave off
verb
staved off; staving off; staves off
1
: to fend off
staving off creditors
2
: to ward off (something adverse) : forestall
trying to stave off disaster
Synonyms
Examples of stave off in a Sentence
managed to stave off the invaders
the quartermaster staved off a shortage by requisitioning more than enough supplies
Recent Examples on the Web
The Yankees mauled and mashed and manhandled the Dodgers in Game 4 of the World Series on Tuesday night at Yankee Stadium, staving off a sweep with an 11-4 victory.
—
Bill Plaschke, Los Angeles Times, 30 Oct. 2024
Harris, meanwhile, has worked to stave off defections from the left over her support for arming Israel in its war against Hamas in Gaza.
—Brian Bennett / Washington, TIME, 30 Oct. 2024
But sometimes your best dinner-planning efforts can’t stave off those hunger pangs.
—Caroline Tien, SELF, 28 Oct. 2024
Bridget Carleton made a pair of free throws with 2 seconds left and the Lynx were able to stave off elimination by beating New York 82-80 on Friday in Game 4 of the WNBA Finals in front of 19,210 boisterous fans at Target Center.
—Mike Cook, Twin Cities, 19 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for stave off 
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Bill Plaschke, Los Angeles Times, 30 Oct. 2024
Harris, meanwhile, has worked to stave off defections from the left over her support for arming Israel in its war against Hamas in Gaza.
—Brian Bennett / Washington, TIME, 30 Oct. 2024
But sometimes your best dinner-planning efforts can’t stave off those hunger pangs.
—Caroline Tien, SELF, 28 Oct. 2024
Bridget Carleton made a pair of free throws with 2 seconds left and the Lynx were able to stave off elimination by beating New York 82-80 on Friday in Game 4 of the WNBA Finals in front of 19,210 boisterous fans at Target Center.
—Mike Cook, Twin Cities, 19 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for stave off
Dictionary Entries Near stave off
Cite this Entry
“Stave off.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/stave%20off. Accessed 14 Nov. 2024.
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