# stave off

CEFR C1 · Phrasal verb

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/stave-off
Updated: 2026-10-23

## Definition

to stop something bad from happening now, or to delay it until a later time.

For teachers: to avert or delay something undesirable or harmful temporarily. Transitive; implies a proactive effort to hold back an inevitable or threatening event.

## Examples

- He ate a snack to stave off his hunger.
- The company sold its extra property to stave off bankruptcy for another few months.
- The central bank raised interest rates in a desperate attempt to stave off a total collapse of the national currency.

## Pitfalls

- Not "They tried to stave off of the crisis." but "They tried to stave off the crisis." — the phrase is followed directly by an object; do not add 'of' after 'off'.

## Usage notes

- usually followed by an abstract negative noun like hunger, disaster, or ruin.
- Teaching tip: the verb 'stave' comes from 'staff' (a stick); imagine using a stick to push something dangerous away from you to help students visualize the 'delaying' aspect.

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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.