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
Throughout the movie, McCallister staves off burglars and exhibits his imaginative survival instincts.
—
Killian Baarlaer, The Courier-Journal, 7 Sep. 2024
But soon after Pearl Harbor Curtin summoned the country’s troops back home to stave off the Japanese on the doorstep, infuriating Winston Churchill.
—Tony Perrottet, Smithsonian Magazine, 3 Sep. 2024
While approving weapons to Israel, the Biden administration has tried to arrange a ceasefire deal in Gaza that would potentially stave off a wider Middle East war.
—Tom Vanden Brook, USA TODAY, 14 Aug. 2024
Plus, regular trips outside can stave off the burnout that often comes from long hours in lecture halls and libraries.
—Patrick Barry, The Conversation, 14 Aug. 2024
See all Example Sentences for stave off 
Killian Baarlaer, The Courier-Journal, 7 Sep. 2024
But soon after Pearl Harbor Curtin summoned the country’s troops back home to stave off the Japanese on the doorstep, infuriating Winston Churchill.
—Tony Perrottet, Smithsonian Magazine, 3 Sep. 2024
While approving weapons to Israel, the Biden administration has tried to arrange a ceasefire deal in Gaza that would potentially stave off a wider Middle East war.
—Tom Vanden Brook, USA TODAY, 14 Aug. 2024
Plus, regular trips outside can stave off the burnout that often comes from long hours in lecture halls and libraries.
—Patrick Barry, The Conversation, 14 Aug. 2024
See all Example Sentences for stave off
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'stave off.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
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 22 Sep. 2024.
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