stave off

verb

staved off; staving off; staves off

transitive verb

1
: to fend off
staving off creditors
2
: to ward off (something adverse) : forestall
trying to stave off disaster

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
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.
Scoring two first-period goals, UConn staved off perennial contender Quinnipiac, 4-1, Friday to advance to the final of the Allentown Regional at PPL Center. Dom Amore, Hartford Courant, 28 Mar. 2025 Their expulsion has been viewed as a show of cooperation from Mexican officials to stave off the Trump administration’s threats to apply tariffs on Mexican goods. John Annese, New York Daily News, 26 Mar. 2025 And to the organization’s credit, the Giants have spent years staving off the worst-case scenario. Dieter Kurtenbach, Mercury News, 25 Mar. 2025 While past research has found numerous health benefits associated with vegetarian or vegan diets, Guasch-Ferré said the study’s findings suggest that middle-aged people don’t need to be fully vegetarian to stave off disease. Aria Bendix, NBC news, 24 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for stave off

Word History

First Known Use

1611, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of stave off was in 1611

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Stave off.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/stave%20off. Accessed 6 Apr. 2025.

Kids Definition

stave off

verb
: to force or keep away : fend off
stave off trouble

More from Merriam-Webster on stave off

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!