stave off

verb

staved off; staving off; staves off
Synonyms of stave offnext

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.
Gold Bond recently released its Refreshing Hand Creams, a collection of four lightly scented, ultra-hydrating hand creams that stave off scaly, flaky hands without leaving behind a greasy residue. Kelsey Legg, ABC News, 6 July 2026 The better ballclubs pull out of slumps before the Padres finally did so Sunday, pulling off a 5-2 road victory against the Dodgers that staved off a four-game sweep and halted an eight-game skid. Tom Krasovic, San Diego Union-Tribune, 6 July 2026 This latest heist recalls the brazen, daytime Louvre theft of France’s Crown Jewels in October, which, despite putting the country’s museums on relatively higher alert, does not appear to be staving off a spate of recent thefts. Devorah Lauter, ARTnews.com, 6 July 2026 The Premier League side staved off interest from within the division to win the race to sign the 24-year-old. Patrick Boyland, New York Times, 2 July 2026 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 7 Jul. 2026.

Kids Definition

stave off

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

More from Merriam-Webster on stave off

Love words? Need even more definitions?

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

More from Merriam-Webster