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as in to prevent
to keep from happening by taking action in advance
the quartermaster staved off a shortage by requisitioning more than enough supplies
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of stave off
To stave off the depression, cognitive decline and early mortality that can come with social isolation, Dr. Richter recommended that retirees replace workplace socializing with routine in-person or virtual gatherings.
—
Mohana Ravindranath, New York Times, 26 Mar. 2025
Sitting in the Allianz Arena on the opening night of last summer’s European Championship, Lise Klaveness could not quite stave off her sense of regret.
—Rory Smith, The Athletic, 22 Mar. 2025
Scoring two first-period goals, UConn staved off perennial contender Quinnipiac, 4-1, Friday to advance to the final of the Allentown Regional at PPL Center.
—Dom Amore, Hartford Courant, 28 Mar. 2025
Their expulsion has been viewed as a show of cooperation from Mexican officials to stave off the Trump administration’s threats to apply tariffs on Mexican goods.
—John Annese, New York Daily News, 26 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for stave off
Mohana Ravindranath, New York Times, 26 Mar. 2025
Sitting in the Allianz Arena on the opening night of last summer’s European Championship, Lise Klaveness could not quite stave off her sense of regret.
—Rory Smith, The Athletic, 22 Mar. 2025
Scoring two first-period goals, UConn staved off perennial contender Quinnipiac, 4-1, Friday to advance to the final of the Allentown Regional at PPL Center.
—Dom Amore, Hartford Courant, 28 Mar. 2025
Their expulsion has been viewed as a show of cooperation from Mexican officials to stave off the Trump administration’s threats to apply tariffs on Mexican goods.
—John Annese, New York Daily News, 26 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for stave off
Recent Examples of Synonyms for stave off
Verb
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Results suggested this impact was due to the plants creating a physical barrier that disrupted the movement of cucumber beetles, rather than any effects of repelling them or attracting beneficial insects.—
Kim Toscano,
Southern Living,
15 Apr. 2025
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In a press release, the Navy touted the Stockdale's role in helping repel multiple Houthi attacks during transits of the Bab el-Mandeb straight and escort operations of U.S.-flagged vessels in the Gulf of Aden.—
David Faris,
MSNBC Newsweek,
12 Apr. 2025
Verb
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Some were emblazoned with images of Maximilian I of Bavaria and Holy Roman Emperor Ferdinand III. Further, archaeologists discovered fragments of lead bullets and deposits of metal wheels — which were likely safeguarded to prevent them from falling into enemy hands after the army left camp.—
Brendan Rascius,
Miami Herald,
18 Apr. 2025
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To prevent mold, be cautious when storing homemade bread.—
Katie Rosenhouse,
Southern Living,
18 Apr. 2025
Verb
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Vrabel then asked players to resist pulling sweatshirt hoodies over their heads during meetings.—
Chantz Martin,
FOXNews.com,
10 Apr. 2025
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The most resilient enterprises of tomorrow will not be the ones that resist change—but those that learn, adapt, and lead through it—with data, decisiveness, and humanity.—
Brent Gleeson,
Forbes.com,
9 Apr. 2025
Verb
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How Investigative Journalists Actually Find Fraud, Waste and Abuse The evidence is similarly clear on Trump’s argument that continued reliance on tariffs to fund the government would have averted the Great Depression.—
Jesse Eisinger,
ProPublica,
8 Apr. 2025
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The United States and Iran are preparing for talks on Tehran's nuclear program in Oman to avert a possible military confrontation that could have devastating consequences far beyond the Middle East.—
Gordon G. Chang,
MSNBC Newsweek,
8 Apr. 2025
Verb
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Fred Couples turned back the clock Thursday but couldn’t quite recreate that magic Friday (still timeless!).—
Sam Settleman,
New York Times,
12 Apr. 2025
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President Trump’s tariff plan appears determined to turn back the clock, and nowhere does his plan defy common sense more than with those same spices that Marco Polo and countless others in the ancient world journeyed for years to bring to the world.—
Hank Tucker,
Forbes.com,
11 Apr. 2025
Verb
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According to 2024 data, some 25 million Americans fear flying to some degree, which can interfere with travel plans and even lead some to stay home rather than head off on adventures of a lifetime.—
Stacey Leasca,
Travel + Leisure,
11 Mar. 2025
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Mark Kastelic had been concussed earlier in the season in Tampa in a fight with Emil Lilleberg after the Bolt player had first crosschecked Kastelic in the face and then bounced his head off the ice.—
Steve Conroy,
Boston Herald,
8 Mar. 2025
Verb
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Companies may be able to absorb some of the new costs, but some of the steep 104 percent tariffs will be passed on to consumers, which may cause some fast-fashion customers to turn away from these stores.—
Raja Krishnamoorthi,
MSNBC Newsweek,
9 Apr. 2025
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Some people have been turned away from care due to stigma, making treatment more difficult.—
Meira Gebel,
Axios,
8 Apr. 2025
Verb
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As Saxon and Lochlan try to decipher what happened between them, we are asked to think about why we’re aroused (or repulsed) by it.—
Louis Staples,
Rolling Stone,
24 Mar. 2025
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Even as the Russians massed forces and achieved a three-to-one advantage in troops in Kursk late last year, the Ukrainians held on—deploying mines, drones and artillery to repeatedly repulse Russian mechanized assaults.—
David Axe,
Forbes,
11 Mar. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Stave off.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/stave%20off. Accessed 22 Apr. 2025.
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