fend off
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
During the Cold War, quixotic Albanian dictator Enver Hoxha built some 750,000 concrete pillboxes to fend off a phantom invasion that never came.
—
Max Grinstein,
The Washington Examiner,
3 July 2026
The two brothers have had nothing but kind things to say about each other, and have managed to fend off any chatter about a sibling rivalry.
—
Stephanie Sengwe,
PEOPLE,
1 July 2026
In addition to softening skin, tocopherol fends off free radicals found in the environment, the likes of which contribute to sunspots, sagging, and other signs of aging.
—
Sophie Wirt,
InStyle,
1 July 2026
Despite fending off the discourse, McPhee has also kept a light tone about all the commentary, finding funny ways to clap back at trolls on social media.
—
Shania Russell,
Entertainment Weekly,
1 July 2026
See All Example Sentences for fend off
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Max Grinstein,
The Washington Examiner,
3 July 2026
The two brothers have had nothing but kind things to say about each other, and have managed to fend off any chatter about a sibling rivalry.
—
Stephanie Sengwe,
PEOPLE,
1 July 2026
In addition to softening skin, tocopherol fends off free radicals found in the environment, the likes of which contribute to sunspots, sagging, and other signs of aging.
—
Sophie Wirt,
InStyle,
1 July 2026
Despite fending off the discourse, McPhee has also kept a light tone about all the commentary, finding funny ways to clap back at trolls on social media.
—
Shania Russell,
Entertainment Weekly,
1 July 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 5 Jul. 2026.
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