ward off
phrasal verb
warded off; warding off; wards off
: to avoid being hit by (something)
ward off a blow
—often used figurativelyI tried different remedies to ward off a cold.
Examples of ward off in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
The captain decided to temporarily close the station later that day, though deputies continued to patrol the area, enforce road closures and ward off looters.
—
Keri Blakinger, Los Angeles Times, 21 Jan. 2025
The state is working to hire and train more staff members to work as range riders to ward off wolves and investigate potential killings by wolves, as well as handle a backlog of requests for site assessments.
—Elise Schmelzer, The Denver Post, 14 Jan. 2025
This anti-theft Travelon bag was built to ward off thieves.
—Amelia McBride, Travel + Leisure, 11 Jan. 2025
One probable outcome is that creators will engage in self-censorship to ward off harrassment.
—Brooke Erin Duffy, Forbes, 9 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for ward off 
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Keri Blakinger, Los Angeles Times, 21 Jan. 2025
The state is working to hire and train more staff members to work as range riders to ward off wolves and investigate potential killings by wolves, as well as handle a backlog of requests for site assessments.
—Elise Schmelzer, The Denver Post, 14 Jan. 2025
This anti-theft Travelon bag was built to ward off thieves.
—Amelia McBride, Travel + Leisure, 11 Jan. 2025
One probable outcome is that creators will engage in self-censorship to ward off harrassment.
—Brooke Erin Duffy, Forbes, 9 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for ward off
Dictionary Entries Near ward off
Cite this Entry
“Ward off.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ward%20off. Accessed 31 Jan. 2025.
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