Phrasal verb
fend off
Definition
phrasal verb. to defend yourself against an attack or to stop someone from bothering you.
phrasal verb. to defend oneself against a physical attack, or to successfully resist unwanted questions, criticisms, or advances.
Examples
“The boxer managed to fend off his opponent's punches.”
“The politician had to fend off difficult questions from reporters during the press conference.”
“Despite the company's declining profits, the CEO managed to fend off a hostile takeover bid from their largest competitor.”
Examples
simple
“The boxer managed to fend off his opponent's punches.”
contextual
“The politician had to fend off difficult questions from reporters during the press conference.”
complex
“Despite the company's declining profits, the CEO managed to fend off a hostile takeover bid from their largest competitor.”
Collocations
Common phrases and expressions where native English speakers use the word “fend off” in context.
Verb
01. fend off a cold
“I'm drinking plenty of orange juice to try and fend off a cold.”
verb + noun
02. fend off a takeover bid
“The company is struggling to fend off a hostile takeover bid from its rival.”
verb + noun
03. fend off an attacker
“The victim managed to fend off the attacker using a heavy umbrella.”
verb + noun
04. fend off his advances
“She had to firmly fend off his advances during the office party.”
verb + possessive + noun
05. fend off unwanted questions
“The celebrity's lawyer helped her fend off unwanted questions from the press.”
verb + adj + noun
06. successfully fend off criticism
“The minister successfully fended off criticism regarding the new tax policy.”
adv + verb
Usage
commonly used with physical attacks or metaphorical ones like questions and criticisms.
Teaching tip
contrast with 'ward off', which often implies preventing something abstract like illness or bad luck, whereas 'fend off' implies an active struggle against a direct force.
Pitfall
He fended off to the attackers.
He fended off the attackers.
the verb is transitive and takes a direct object without the preposition 'to'.
Etymology
fend + off
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Phrasal verb
Particles
off
Separability
optional
Pattern
fend + off + object
Synonyms
Antonyms
Grammar
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.B2 FirstIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.5.5–6.5TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 4.0–4.572–94TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.785–944
- Level
- B2 · Upper IntermediateOxford
- Updated
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