fend (off)

verb

Definition of fend (off)next
as in to repel
to drive back the herd fended off attacking hyenas

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for fend (off)
  1. repel
  2. resist
  3. turn back
  4. repulse
  5. turn away
  6. stave off
Verb
  • Reseeding helps block weed growth, repel lawn diseases, slow soil erosion, and strengthen growth in bare patches.
    — Mary Marlowe Leverette, The Spruce, 29 Aug. 2026
  • As mentioned above, Turkey’s deployment of TB2s in the country’s civil war in 2020 proved decisive, with these drones helping break the LNA’s siege on Tripoli and empowering GNA ground forces to repel Haftar’s fighters.
    — Paul Iddon, Forbes.com, 29 Aug. 2026
Definition of repel
Verb
  • He was arrested and will be booked on felony evading, hit-and-run and felony resisting arrest, police said.
    — Tania Azhang, Sacbee.com, 29 Aug. 2026
  • The fungus can spread between patients and resist some antifungal treatments.
    — Katia Riddle, NPR, 29 Aug. 2026
Definition of resist
Verb
  • The 42-year-old turned back the clock Sunday, with 10 strikeouts in seven scoreless innings against the Seattle Mariners.
    — Mitch Bannon, New York Times, 31 Aug. 2026
  • At 47, there is room for this stock to turn back up without fighting an overbought reading.
    — Josh Brown,Sean Russo, CNBC, 31 Aug. 2026
Definition of turn back
Verb
  • His recent comments didn’t favor the Browns fanbase, and many Cleveland fans seem viscerally repulsed by him.
    — Andy Behrens, New York Times, 25 Aug. 2026
  • Most Americans are repulsed by the core ideas of radical leftists.
    — Steve Forbes, Forbes.com, 7 Aug. 2026
Definition of repulse
Verb
  • Sprague told the jury that Clancy was never turned away from mental health care, but that in fact Clancy refused help.
    — Sumiko Corley, NBC news, 27 Aug. 2026
  • This summer, Whatley’s campaign barred journalists from mainstream and left-leaning outlets from events, while Cooper’s campaign turned away staffers from two conservative outlets, but local coverage focused more heavily on Whatley.
    — David A. Graham, The Atlantic, 27 Aug. 2026
Definition of turn away
Verb
  • Sleep, for instance, isn’t downtime but active maintenance, when the brain flushes out cellular waste in ways that may help stave off dementia.
    — Andrea Gawrylewski, Scientific American, 1 Sep. 2026
  • This is the best way to stave off the oil buildup that causes yellowing on your pillowcases.
    — Caroline Lubinsky, Martha Stewart, 30 Aug. 2026
Definition of stave off
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.

Browse Nearby Words

fending (off)
fend (off)
fends
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Cite this Entry

“Fend (off).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/fend%20%28off%29. Accessed 3 Sep. 2026.

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