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
Hlavaj had a lot to do with the initial underdog story on the ice, fending off one onslaught after another as Slovakia was outshot 18-5 in the first period and 40-25 overall.
—
Dallas Morning News, 11 Feb. 2026
While a daily wash might be ideal to fend off bacteria and avoid building up grime, that also doesn’t seem feasible.
—Ashley Chalmers, The Spruce, 10 Feb. 2026
The Philadelphia 76ers were without Joel Embiid on Monday night, and 30 points from Tyrese Maxey wasn't enough to fend off the surging Portland Trail Blazers in a 135-118 loss out on the west coast.
—CBS News, 10 Feb. 2026
Off a pass from Alex Carpenter, Knight went streaking up the right side of the ice, fended off a defender and then flicked a goal into the top of the net.
—Jared Perlo, NBC news, 5 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for fend off
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Dallas Morning News, 11 Feb. 2026
While a daily wash might be ideal to fend off bacteria and avoid building up grime, that also doesn’t seem feasible.
—Ashley Chalmers, The Spruce, 10 Feb. 2026
The Philadelphia 76ers were without Joel Embiid on Monday night, and 30 points from Tyrese Maxey wasn't enough to fend off the surging Portland Trail Blazers in a 135-118 loss out on the west coast.
—CBS News, 10 Feb. 2026
Off a pass from Alex Carpenter, Knight went streaking up the right side of the ice, fended off a defender and then flicked a goal into the top of the net.
—Jared Perlo, NBC news, 5 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for fend off
Cite this Entry
“Fend off.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/fend%20off. Accessed 14 Feb. 2026.
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