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 Use your lip balm for daily protection and a lip mask to help stave off future chapping and irritation. Emily Orofino, Vogue, 21 Oct. 2024 That said, knowing which is your child's top choice can help strengthen your bond and stave off unwelcome behavior. Gail Cornwall, Parents, 16 Oct. 2024 Right-wing political power has, over the past half century, turned out to have almost no ability to stave off progressive social change: Nixon took the White House in a landslide while Norman Lear took the airwaves in a ratings sweep. Adam Gopnik, The New Yorker, 14 Oct. 2024 The movie has, until this point, been rather forthright about the pain of advanced cancer and the treatment that ravages a body in trying to stave off death. Eliza Berman, TIME, 11 Oct. 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.

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

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 5 Nov. 2024.

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
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