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
staves off
verb
1
as in turns away
to drive back managed to stave off the invaders Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
- turns away
- turns back
- beats off
- repulses
- repels
- resists
- stands off
- fends (off)
- fights
- holds off
- rebuts
- withstands
- opposes
- deflects
- wards (off)
- defies
- spurns
- rebuffs
- snubs
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- embraces
- welcomes
- hails
2
as in prevents
to keep from happening by taking action in advance the quartermaster staved off a shortage by requisitioning more than enough supplies Synonyms & Similar Words
- prevents
- heads off
- averts
- precludes
- obviates
- avoids
- forestalls
- escapes
- provides
- helps
- anticipates
- evades
- thwarts
- nullifies
- saves
- foils
- shakes
- hinders
- retards
- neutralizes
- deters
- hampers
- offsets
- blocks
- fends (off)
- interferes (with)
- negates
- compensates (for)
- impedes
- balks
- eludes
- forbids
- deflects
- wards (off)
- prohibits
- baffles
- frustrates
- shuns
- counterbalances
- stalls
- stops
- bars
- eschews
- checks
- ducks
- circumvents
- counteracts
- checkmates
- stops
- inhibits
- shirks
- dodges
- makes up (for)
- halts
- arrests
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- aids
- assists
- facilitates
- advances
- eases
- leaves
- encourages
- promotes
- abets
- permits
- lets
- smooths
- forwards
- allows
- furthers
- smoothes
- fosters
- nurtures
- cultivates
- unclogs