as in turning back
to drive back
the herd fended off attacking hyenas
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for fending (off)
Verb
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But savvy marketing campaigns and partnerships with major employers have tricked consumers into turning back to payday loans.—
Christopher Greenwood,
Chicago Tribune,
13 Mar. 2026 -
Left with few other options, India is now turning back to Russian oil.—
Rhea Mogul,
CNN Money,
10 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Hospitals ran out of blood, and started turning away patients.—
Cora Engelbrecht,
New Yorker,
20 Mar. 2026
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Opponents say that provision could potentially scare workers into turning away valid applicants while also discouraging people from working or volunteering at polling locations.—
Mary Clare Jalonick,
Chicago Tribune,
17 Mar. 2026
Verb
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This occurs when decomposing organic matter or soil fungi form a waxy, water-resistant coating around soil particles, repelling water rather than absorb it.—
Nadia Hassani,
The Spruce,
15 Mar. 2026
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There are many options for repelling mice.—
BestReviews,
Mercury News,
10 Mar. 2026
Verb
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While there are dismemberments and other bits of gruesome violence to be found in the film, Badlands is largely aimed at endearing its audience rather than repulsing them.—
Richard Lawson,
HollywoodReporter,
4 Nov. 2025
Verb
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For Chen, beauty becomes a way of resisting reductive portrayals of communities defined by poverty.—
Lise Pedersen,
Variety,
15 Mar. 2026
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He was later arrested, briefly hospitalized for a potential overdose, and charged with three counts of battery with injury on a police officer and one count of resisting an arresting officer.—
Tom Smyth,
Vulture,
13 Mar. 2026
Verb
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The dogs had driven the woman into the surf before a tourist came to her rescue, beating off the dingoes.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
28 Jan. 2026
Verb
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McCarthy stood on his head for much of the final 25 minutes, staving off 17 shots through the third period and first overtime.—
Tom Mulherin,
Boston Herald,
15 Mar. 2026
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To his credit, Onana remained at the heart of the battle and was evidently key to Villa staving off Bournemouth’s set-play threat.—
Jacob Tanswell,
New York Times,
9 Feb. 2026
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Cite this Entry
“Fending (off).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/fending%20%28off%29. Accessed 21 Mar. 2026.
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