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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
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.
Recent Examples of stave off Kansas City voters overwhelmingly renewed the city’s 1% earnings tax on Tuesday, maintaining a critical funding source for city services and unmistakably staving off concerns that the city’s budget could be thrown into disarray. —
Chris Higgins, Kansas City Star, 8 Apr. 2026 That threat, which critics warned could be a war crime if carried out, appears to have been staved off for now. —Alexandra Banner, CNN Money, 8 Apr. 2026 That threat, which critics warned could be a war crime if carried out, appears to have been staved off for now at the 11th hour. —Cnn.com Wire Service, Mercury News, 8 Apr. 2026 Its duration favors the studios by staving off another renegotiation and potential work stoppage until 2030. —Maxwell Adler, Vanity Fair, 7 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for stave off
Chris Higgins, Kansas City Star, 8 Apr. 2026 That threat, which critics warned could be a war crime if carried out, appears to have been staved off for now. —Alexandra Banner, CNN Money, 8 Apr. 2026 That threat, which critics warned could be a war crime if carried out, appears to have been staved off for now at the 11th hour. —Cnn.com Wire Service, Mercury News, 8 Apr. 2026 Its duration favors the studios by staving off another renegotiation and potential work stoppage until 2030. —Maxwell Adler, Vanity Fair, 7 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for stave off
Recent Examples of Synonyms for stave off
Verb
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That's because, while garlic is a delicious food that adds rich flavor to your favorite recipes, this pungent plant can also repel an assortment of common garden pests, from aphids to deer.— Lauren Landers, Better Homes & Gardens, 21 Apr. 2026
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Only a professional military can repel one of the world’s most powerful armies.— Nataliya Gumenyuk, The Dial, 21 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Enzyme Inhibitor Peptides Enzyme inhibitor peptides help to prevent the breakdown of collagen, preserving the skin’s structure and slowing visible signs of aging.— Brianna Peters, Vogue, 22 Apr. 2026
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The chemical was developed in the early 1900s and came into wider use during World War II to prevent the spread of malaria and typhus.— Andrea Thompson, Scientific American, 22 Apr. 2026
Verb
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The addition of the Kevlar core allowed the fiber to resist deformation and store enough energy to double its jumping height, which matches the capabilities of soil-dwelling insects like springtails.— Aman Tripathi, Interesting Engineering, 23 Apr. 2026
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In January, Francisco Manzo was charged with assaulting a peace officer with a deadly weapon and four counts of resisting an officer.— Caelyn Pender, Mercury News, 23 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Three Mile Island meltdown averted by technology developed at Jamestown.— Richard Edwards, Space.com, 17 Apr. 2026
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On Friday afternoon, the workers’ union, Local 32BJ of the Service Employees International Union, and the Realty Advisory Board on Labor Relations, which represents NYC apartment-building owners, reached an agreement that would avert a strike before the April 20 deadline.— Anne Kadet, Curbed, 17 Apr. 2026
Verb
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In midst of the 1996-1997 race and battling hurricane-force winds and waves reaching six stories high, Goss decided to turn back into the storm to save fellow competitor Raphaël Dinelli, whose boat had capsized thousands of miles from land.— Alex Ritman, Variety, 22 Apr. 2026
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On April 21, shortly after passing Sri Lanka, the tanker made an abrupt course change — first a sharp 90-degree turn to the south, then another sharp 90-degree turn back east.— Brad Lendon, CNN Money, 22 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Like, to have Hughie kick A-Train’s head off would’ve been nuts.— Derek Lawrence, Vulture, 10 Apr. 2026
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The dramatic shift in tenor came as intermediaries led by Pakistan worked feverishly to head off a further escalation.— Aamer Madhani, Fortune, 9 Apr. 2026
Verb
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During the years since Abraaj’s collapse, there has been a distinct turn away from the notion that companies ought to be motivated by more than just profit.— Hettie O'Brien, The Dial, 21 Apr. 2026
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Audiences have been turned away from screenings around the world and presales have more sparkle than a white glove.— Anthony D'Alessandro, Deadline, 21 Apr. 2026
Verb
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In the mid-19th century, Kasanje was able to repulse a Portuguese military expedition.— Encyclopedia Britannica, Encyclopedia Britannica, 2 Apr. 2026
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Sigmund Freud believed that every crush has a strand of disgust, that people are attracted to what repulses them.— Daniel Felsenthal, Vulture, 26 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Stave off.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.grautoblog.com/thesaurus/stave%20off. Accessed 24 Apr. 2026.
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