# stave off

idiom

Source: https://englishreference.com/idiom/stave-off
Updated: 2026-08-10

## Meaning

To prevent something from happening; to obviate or avert.

## Examples

- Drink water to stave off a headache.
- She ate a healthy snack to stave off hunger until dinner time.
- The government implemented new economic policies in a desperate attempt to stave off a total financial collapse.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.