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
In the Trump administration's first legal bid to stave off local efforts to impede immigration operations, federal officials are asking a judge to bar the Illinois, Chicago, Cook County and the Cook County Sheriff from using local laws that protect migrants to hamper law enforcement.
—
Robert Legare, CBS News, 6 Feb. 2025
Mexico and the United States first reached an agreement to stave off the 25% tariffs for at least one month.
—Rebecca Morin, USA TODAY, 4 Feb. 2025
In theory, that offers a window for Trump and Chinese leader Xi Jinping to land a deal that could stave off the trade war — much like Canada and Mexico.
—Courtenay Brown, Axios, 4 Feb. 2025
The country’s trade representatives met with Trump administration officials as recently as Friday in an attempt to stave off the tariffs.
—Ben Church, CNN, 3 Feb. 2025
See all Example Sentences for stave off 
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Robert Legare, CBS News, 6 Feb. 2025
Mexico and the United States first reached an agreement to stave off the 25% tariffs for at least one month.
—Rebecca Morin, USA TODAY, 4 Feb. 2025
In theory, that offers a window for Trump and Chinese leader Xi Jinping to land a deal that could stave off the trade war — much like Canada and Mexico.
—Courtenay Brown, Axios, 4 Feb. 2025
The country’s trade representatives met with Trump administration officials as recently as Friday in an attempt to stave off the tariffs.
—Ben Church, CNN, 3 Feb. 2025
See all Example Sentences for stave off
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 16 Feb. 2025.
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