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2
as in to prevent
to keep from happening by taking action in advance
the quartermaster staved off a shortage by requisitioning more than enough supplies
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of stave off
Moreover, even when placed in packing bags, shoes (and even swimwear) can lend less-than-ideal stench to your luggage, and bar soap can help stave off the unpleasantness, so that every outfit feels freshly washed.
—
Kaitlyn Yarborough, Southern Living, 10 July 2025
Completed in June, this system aims to stave off devastation like that of 2011—when a relentless six-minute-long temblor was followed by a 130-foot tsunami that reached speeds of 435 miles per hour and pounded cities into rubble.
—Deni Ellis Béchard, Scientific American, 9 July 2025
Gazan parents are feeding their children milky water to stave off starvation as Israel continues to withhold sufficient aid.
—Tom Chivers, semafor.com, 24 June 2025
After that, even aggressive tax hikes or spending cuts may not be enough to stave off default — implicit or otherwise.
—Leslie Picker, CNBC, 7 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for stave off
Kaitlyn Yarborough, Southern Living, 10 July 2025
Completed in June, this system aims to stave off devastation like that of 2011—when a relentless six-minute-long temblor was followed by a 130-foot tsunami that reached speeds of 435 miles per hour and pounded cities into rubble.
—Deni Ellis Béchard, Scientific American, 9 July 2025
Gazan parents are feeding their children milky water to stave off starvation as Israel continues to withhold sufficient aid.
—Tom Chivers, semafor.com, 24 June 2025
After that, even aggressive tax hikes or spending cuts may not be enough to stave off default — implicit or otherwise.
—Leslie Picker, CNBC, 7 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for stave off
Recent Examples of Synonyms for stave off
Verb
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Fragrant herbs are often planted around vegetables to repel plant pests and attract pollinators to veggie flowers.—
Lauren Landers,
Better Homes & Gardens,
22 July 2025
-
Getting back to the lizards, there are certain scents that can repel lizards.—
Joan Morris,
Mercury News,
21 July 2025
Verb
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Until now, there was no centralized system in place to prevent double billing, which enabled overpayments to go unnoticed.—
Jasmine Laws,
MSNBC Newsweek,
23 July 2025
-
Transparency rules have been introduced to prevent conflicts of interest among contractors and design professionals involved in inspections and repairs.—
Miami Herald Archives,
Miami Herald,
23 July 2025
Verb
-
Trump had for months resisted pressure from Kyiv and NATO allies to turn the screw on Putin, engaging directly with Russia and distancing from Ukraine in the hopes that smoothing U.S. relations with Moscow would bring about a rapid end to the war.—
Shane Croucher
John Feng,
MSNBC Newsweek,
15 July 2025
-
All good people, regardless of fundamental beliefs, need to vigorously, with courage, resist the sickness that is Trump and MAGA.—
Letters to the Editor,
The Orlando Sentinel,
15 July 2025
Verb
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But with a tentative deal put in place by January, which averted a second strike, the union of 45,000 dockworkers got some reprieve on automation—at least enough to maintain a certain number of jobs.—
Glenn Taylor,
Sourcing Journal,
11 July 2025
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Carney posted a 114-word response on X late Thursday that appeared to avert further escalation of trade tensions while striking a firm posture in defense of Canada's economic interests.—
Max Zahn,
ABC News,
11 July 2025
Verb
-
Magny turned back Rodriguez, submitting him in the third round.—
Trent Reinsmith,
Forbes.com,
19 July 2025
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In tech, people are turning back to flip phones, Tamagotchi's and disposable film cameras.—
Alice Gibbs,
MSNBC Newsweek,
19 July 2025
Verb
-
Osbourne plays himself and saves the day by biting the head off of Nicky's evil brother, Adrian, who had turned into a bat.—
Daysia Tolentino,
EW.com,
24 July 2025
-
Ozzy Osbourne biting the head off of a dead bat became a big chunk of rock history, and his own.—
Jay Stahl,
USA Today,
23 July 2025
Verb
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The clinic saw people with treatable cancers whose cases were turned away from local hospital after local hospital.—
Rachel Pearson,
New Yorker,
13 July 2025
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The call was overturned, and the Royals were turned away amid heavy boos from the crowd.—
Kansas City Star,
Kansas City Star,
13 July 2025
Verb
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In Liberia, especially, the Peace Corps volunteers were repulsed by the ways that Americo-Liberians — the descendants of the Black Americans who founded the country — oppressed indigenous ethnic groups.—
Jonathan Zimmerman,
New York Daily News,
16 July 2025
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After a disastrous trip to Mexico where Irina appeared repulsed by everything Zack did, the couple split and Zack went crawling back to Bliss.—
Randall Colburn,
EW.com,
13 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Stave off.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/stave%20off. Accessed 30 Jul. 2025.
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