staves off

verb

present tense third-person singular of stave off
1
as in repels
to drive back managed to stave off the invaders

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of staves off Made with Asics’ special ‘Puregel’ technology, the shoe has a cushy feel and shock absorption that staves off foot pain. — Jasmine Gomez, Travel + Leisure, 11 May 2026 Health policy researchers and economists say providing Medicaid coverage to immigrants for preventive services and treatment of chronic health conditions staves off more costly care for patients down the road. — Arkansas Online, 6 Sep. 2025 Frequent tennis play improves bone density, which staves off fractures and osteoporosis. — Alexandra Moe, The Atlantic, 24 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for staves off
  1. repels
  2. prevents
  3. turns away
  4. averts
  5. repulses
  6. turns back
  7. resists
Verb
  • The wax repels liquid water but keeps tiny pores, so vapor can still escape.
    — New Atlas, New Atlas, 4 Oct. 2026
  • This natural pest control spray keeps roaches, stink bugs, spiders, ants, centipedes, crickets, and tons of other bugs away thanks to its strong scent that repels them without harsh chemicals.
    — Caley Sturgill, Southern Living, 25 Sep. 2026
Definition of repels
Verb
  • Users were likely restricted from properly spelling out such words because, by design, the platform prevents emoji from being used more than once in reaction to a post.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 17 Oct. 2026
  • In addition to being barred from ever owning livestock again, Barr’s plea agreement prevents him from owning or living with any type of animal for 15 years, according to PETA.
    — Sally Krutzig, Idaho Statesman, 16 Oct. 2026
Definition of prevents
Verb
  • The insect naturally turns away when an antenna touches an obstacle.
    — New Atlas, New Atlas, 18 July 2026
  • The bear, seemingly frightened, quickly turns away from the boy and continues running, sliding under a boat parked in the driveway.
    — Mason Leib, ABC News, 7 July 2026
Definition of turns away
Verb
  • But multiple studies have shown the flu vaccine reduces the disease’s severity and averts hospitalizations and deaths.
    — Lena H. Sun, Washington Post, 4 Oct. 2026
  • At every save point, the game forces James to stare at his reflection, and after the story’s plot twist, James averts his eyes, unable to face his own guilt.
    — Zackery Cuevas, PC Magazine, 21 Sep. 2026
Definition of averts
Verb
  • Her widowed aunt plays chaperone as Susanna attends heady lectures and repulses her many suitors.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 5 Oct. 2026
  • Sigmund Freud believed that every crush has a strand of disgust, that people are attracted to what repulses them.
    — Daniel Felsenthal, Vulture, 26 Mar. 2026
Definition of repulses
Verb
  • Those talks have since stalled as Tehran focuses on negotiating the future of the Strait of Hormuz and Washington turns back to diplomacy.
    — Leila Gharagozlou, CNN Money, 20 Sep. 2026
  • The opening holes may not immediately reveal what awaits, but that changes quickly as the course turns back on itself and descends into a stunning, secluded valley that eventually opens toward the coastline.
    — Jeff Goudy, Forbes.com, 29 Aug. 2026
Definition of turns back
Verb
  • An unskilled crew can raise a structural shell in weeks instead of months, and the finished building resists fire, mold, and Category 5 hurricane winds.
    — Joe Mullich, Time, 15 Oct. 2026
  • The researchers also focused on reducing the robot’s effective inertia, a property that describes how strongly an object resists changes in its motion.
    — Kaif Shaikh, Interesting Engineering, 10 Oct. 2026
Definition of resists

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Cite this Entry

“Staves off.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/staves%20off. Accessed 20 Oct. 2026.

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