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.
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 Reddit threads where people are discussing what they have done with their wedding and engagement rings some say they continue to wear theirs, sometimes to ward off unwanted advances.
From BBC ● Jul. 6, 2026
In Paris, fights over air conditioning are proliferating as residents increasingly seek to install the systems to ward off the heat.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 1, 2026
Wedbush analyst Michael Piccolo said in a note last week that eBay had significant resources at its disposal to ward off any takeover attempt, including the possible adoption of a shareholder-rights plan.
From MarketWatch ● May 20, 2026
‘How did you dare? If they’d caught you… ‘ She made the sign of the hand to ward off evil.
From "Wolf Brother" by Michelle Paver
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.
