ward off
Britishverb
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Turn aside, parry, as in He tried to ward off her blows . [Second half of 1500s]
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Try to prevent, avert, as in She took vitamin C to ward off a cold . [Mid-1700s]
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Hartnett notes that central banks are tightening as they try to restore credibility and ward off the surge in bond yields.
From MarketWatch ● Sep. 4, 2026
"Triple lock is vital to ward off pensioner poverty" reads the Sunday Express's headline, adding: "Campaigners say devastating new report on plight of UK elderly proves lifeline must stay".
From BBC ● Aug. 15, 2026
A growing number of deadly West Nile virus-carrying mosquitoes are spreading rapidly across Southern California and local officials are urging residents to take action to ward off a bite.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 8, 2026
On Wednesday, the prime minister tried to ward off the expected challenge by insisting he wants Burnham to play "a big role" in his government.
From Barron's ● Jun. 18, 2026
The bear smelled on Omakayas’s skin the smell of its own cousin’s bear grease used to ward off mosquitoes.
From "The Birchbark House" by Louise Erdrich
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
