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
Synonyms
- beat off
- fend (off)
- rebut
- repel
- repulse
- turn away
- turn back
See all Synonyms & Antonyms 
Example Sentences
managed to stave off the invaders the quartermaster staved off a shortage by requisitioning more than enough supplies
Word History
First Known Use
1611, in the meaning defined at sense 1
staved off
verb
1
as in turned back
to drive back managed to stave off the invaders Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
- turned back
- turned away
- beat off
- repulsed
- resisted
- repelled
- fended (off)
- opposed
- stood off
- rebutted
- held off
- fought
- deflected
- withstood
- warded (off)
- spurned
- defied
- rebuffed
- snubbed
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- embraced
- welcomed
- hailed
2
as in prevented
to keep from happening by taking action in advance the quartermaster staved off a shortage by requisitioning more than enough supplies Synonyms & Similar Words
- prevented
- averted
- headed off
- precluded
- obviated
- avoided
- provided
- helped
- escaped
- forestalled
- anticipated
- saved
- thwarted
- evaded
- nullified
- interfered (with)
- retarded
- deterred
- shook
- neutralized
- offset
- prohibited
- impeded
- hindered
- hampered
- negated
- eluded
- compensated (for)
- frustrated
- balked
- deflected
- fended (off)
- warded (off)
- forbade
- baffled
- foiled
- shunned
- stopped
- forbad
- blocked
- circumvented
- eschewed
- counterbalanced
- stalled
- stopped
- inhibited
- barred
- counteracted
- halted
- ducked
- checkmated
- checked
- dodged
- made up (for)
- shirked
- arrested
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- aided
- assisted
- facilitated
- eased
- forwarded
- abetted
- advanced
- left
- smoothed
- promoted
- furthered
- permitted
- let
- encouraged
- allowed
- fostered
- cultivated
- nurtured
- unclogged