stave off
verb
staved off; staving off; staves off
1
: to fend off
staving off creditors
2
: to ward off (something adverse) : forestall
trying to stave off disaster
Examples of stave off in a Sentence
managed to stave off the invaders
the quartermaster staved off a shortage by requisitioning more than enough supplies
Recent Examples on the Web
The Knicks were able to stave off elimination and elongate the series.
—
Ryan Stano, MSNBC Newsweek, 31 May 2025
The debt limit was last suspended by Congress as part of a bipartisan bill struck between former President Biden and GOP leadership in 2023, staving off the threat of national default through early 2025.
—Aris Folley, The Hill, 30 May 2025
The upgrade comes after Elliott and Southwest Airlines struck a deal in October to keep chief executive Bob Jordan and add six directors to the airline’s board, staving off a proxy fight.
—Sean Conlon, CNBC, 29 May 2025
That gave them the cushion needed to stave off another comeback bid by the Knicks.
—Bobby Krivitsky, Forbes.com, 28 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for stave off
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Ryan Stano, MSNBC Newsweek, 31 May 2025
The debt limit was last suspended by Congress as part of a bipartisan bill struck between former President Biden and GOP leadership in 2023, staving off the threat of national default through early 2025.
—Aris Folley, The Hill, 30 May 2025
The upgrade comes after Elliott and Southwest Airlines struck a deal in October to keep chief executive Bob Jordan and add six directors to the airline’s board, staving off a proxy fight.
—Sean Conlon, CNBC, 29 May 2025
That gave them the cushion needed to stave off another comeback bid by the Knicks.
—Bobby Krivitsky, Forbes.com, 28 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for stave off
Cite this Entry
“Stave off.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/stave%20off. Accessed 4 Jun. 2025.
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