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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
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of stave off
Listen to this article 2 min Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored a playoff career-high 40 points as the Oklahoma City Thunder staved off the Minnesota Timberwolves fourth quarter comeback attempt on Monday.
—
Chantz Martin, FOXNews.com, 27 May 2025
The Field of 64 will be revealed Monday. UConn, which staved off elimination on Thursday and Friday, left 11 men on base, went 0-for-8 with runners in scoring position and left the bases loaded in the second, third and seventh innings.
—Dom Amore, Hartford Courant, 25 May 2025
That’s how cornerback Nick McCloud staved off a pay cut until midseason last year.
—Dan Duggan, New York Times, 21 May 2025
Scientists believe some of these palm-sized coral babies — 1,050 of them in total — contain the special ingredients to stave off a warming ocean that has damaged 84% of the world’s reefs since 2023.
—Max Chesnes, Sun Sentinel, 18 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for stave off
Chantz Martin, FOXNews.com, 27 May 2025
The Field of 64 will be revealed Monday. UConn, which staved off elimination on Thursday and Friday, left 11 men on base, went 0-for-8 with runners in scoring position and left the bases loaded in the second, third and seventh innings.
—Dom Amore, Hartford Courant, 25 May 2025
That’s how cornerback Nick McCloud staved off a pay cut until midseason last year.
—Dan Duggan, New York Times, 21 May 2025
Scientists believe some of these palm-sized coral babies — 1,050 of them in total — contain the special ingredients to stave off a warming ocean that has damaged 84% of the world’s reefs since 2023.
—Max Chesnes, Sun Sentinel, 18 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for stave off
Recent Examples of Synonyms for stave off
Verb
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The front element features a fluorine coating to help repel dust and dirt, although that front element does feel vulnerable to damage.—
James Abbott,
Space.com,
23 May 2025
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Speaking with Russian state-run news agency Interfax, Ushakov said Putin shared details about Ukrainian attacks that Russia claims to have repelled ahead of Victory Day celebrations in Moscow on May 9. Newsweek has contacted Russia's Foreign Ministry for comment by email.—
Isabel van Brugen,
MSNBC Newsweek,
21 May 2025
Verb
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The guardianship legally prevents Haron from removing or having contact with Taube without permission.—
Jenna Sundel,
MSNBC Newsweek,
24 May 2025
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As usual, handling the environment and dimensions of Dodger Stadium will be key, from catchers preventing balls in the dirt from going to the backstop to outfielders making catches in the sun.—
Eric Sondheimer,
Los Angeles Times,
24 May 2025
Verb
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Following the ordeal, Jung couldn't resist reliving the experience and sharing it on social media.—
Alyce Collins,
MSNBC Newsweek,
30 May 2025
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If craving ice cream, resist the urge to judge yourself before, during, or after eating it, Shabazz says.—
Maia Niguel Hoskin,
Forbes.com,
30 May 2025
Verb
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The enclave needs at least 500 to 600 trucks daily to avert a deepening humanitarian catastrophe, as civilians face a severe shortage of supplies like food and medicine, said UNRWA, the UN agency for Palestinian refugees in Gaza.—
Jeremy Diamond,
CNN Money,
26 May 2025
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Over the course of Thursday’s six-hour meeting, the council: Restored positions at the Department of Cultural Affairs, averting the closure of the historic Hollyhock House in East Hollywood, protecting its status as a UNESCO World Heritage site.—
David Zahniser,
Los Angeles Times,
23 May 2025
Verb
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The two occupants of the jet ski stopped and started to turn back, but then sped away after apparently realizing Moore was injured.—
Harriet Ramos,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
28 May 2025
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Business at Malibu Farm is down at least 50 percent — more on weekdays — and Henderson says half of her dinner reservations don’t show, likely turned back by roadblocks along PCH.—
Benjamin Svetkey,
HollywoodReporter,
21 May 2025
Verb
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The airfield famously hosted an aeronautical school in the 1940s, when the Army Air Corps relied on the facility to train aviators headed off to fight World War II.—
Lucas Robinson,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
25 May 2025
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Doing so heads off the job board chaos to begin with.—
Rebecca Fraser-Thill,
Forbes.com,
24 May 2025
Verb
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How can anyone turn away from the plight of a starving child?—
Letters to the Editor,
The Orlando Sentinel,
29 May 2025
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Taking time for yourself isn’t turning away but refueling for what lies ahead.—
Expert Panel®,
Forbes.com,
29 May 2025
Verb
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But throughout the series, he became increasingly repulsed by these actions, which included enslaving thousands of women.—
Barry Levitt,
Time,
27 May 2025
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With every cringe, with every critique of her family’s behavior, Piper has been telegraphing that those values repulse her.—
Cyndy Etler,
Hartford Courant,
28 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Stave off.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/stave%20off. Accessed 5 Jun. 2025.
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