fend off
phrasal verb
fended off; fending off; fends off
: to defend oneself against (someone or something)
They succeeded in fending off the attack/attackers.
They have had to fend off allegations of voter fraud.
Examples of fend off in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
The declaration was filed Monday as the Trump administration fends off the lawsuit from several Democratic states that want to block Musk and the DOGE team from accessing government systems.
—
Democrat-Gazette Staff From Wire Reports, arkansasonline.com, 19 Feb. 2025
In the memoir, with a brave sense of humor that doesn’t gloss over fear, Ms. Mulvaney recounts fending off paparazzi, arming herself with a kitchen knife for fear of a stalker, navigating death threats and thoughts of suicide.
—Maggie Lange, New York Times, 18 Feb. 2025
At the same time, the company has also been able to successfully fend off union victories at a second warehouse on Staten Island, as well as at facilities near Albany, New York, and in Bessemer, Alabama.
—CBS News, 15 Feb. 2025
Newsom, who is trying to court Trump’s support for disaster aid while fending off his demands for more hardline state policies, has a 42% approval rating.
—Lia Russell, Sacramento Bee, 13 Feb. 2025
See all Example Sentences for fend off 
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Democrat-Gazette Staff From Wire Reports, arkansasonline.com, 19 Feb. 2025
In the memoir, with a brave sense of humor that doesn’t gloss over fear, Ms. Mulvaney recounts fending off paparazzi, arming herself with a kitchen knife for fear of a stalker, navigating death threats and thoughts of suicide.
—Maggie Lange, New York Times, 18 Feb. 2025
At the same time, the company has also been able to successfully fend off union victories at a second warehouse on Staten Island, as well as at facilities near Albany, New York, and in Bessemer, Alabama.
—CBS News, 15 Feb. 2025
Newsom, who is trying to court Trump’s support for disaster aid while fending off his demands for more hardline state policies, has a 42% approval rating.
—Lia Russell, Sacramento Bee, 13 Feb. 2025
See all Example Sentences for fend off
Dictionary Entries Near fend off
Cite this Entry
“Fend off.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/fend%20off. Accessed 24 Feb. 2025.
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