stave off

verb

staved off; staving off; staves off

transitive verb

1
: to fend off
staving off creditors
2
: to ward off (something adverse) : forestall
trying to stave off disaster

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
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.
Lowry will have his hands full staving off the strongest field to date in 2025. Edgar Thompson, Orlando Sentinel, 7 Mar. 2025 The plan to recapture Savannah failed, but soldiers from Saint-Domingue helped stave off a British counterattack. Danielle Amir Jackson, The Atlantic, 27 Feb. 2025 Read More: Column: Donald Trump Is Right to Refuse to Be Bullied by Vladimir Putin The truth is that Putin is desperate for US businesses to return to stave off his economic collapse. Jeffrey Sonnenfeld and Steven Tian, TIME, 26 Feb. 2025 Olson is among the nonprofit leaders who expressed frustration Tuesday at how the City Council had previously left an impression that the worst of the cuts could be staved off. Shomik Mukherjee, The Mercury News, 18 Feb. 2025 See All Example Sentences for stave off

Word History

First Known Use

1611, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of stave off was in 1611

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Stave off.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/stave%20off. Accessed 12 Mar. 2025.

Kids Definition

stave off

verb
: to force or keep away : fend off
stave off trouble

More from Merriam-Webster on stave off

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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