ward off

verb

1. (tr, adverb) to turn aside or repel; avert

Idioms and Phrases

Turn aside, parry, as in He tried to ward off her blows . [Second half of 1500s]

Try to prevent, avert, as in She took vitamin C to ward off a cold . [Mid-1700s]

Example Sentences

Migrants have helped to enrich our living standards and helped ward off depopulation trends that threaten other wealthy countries.

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The rally revved up again after Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell signaled the beginning of an rate-cutting cycle to ward off danger signs in the labor market.

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To ward off the unrelenting approach of middle age, last year I took up weight lifting and hired a personal trainer.

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Fearing they may be targeted, gaming platforms such as Roblox and Discord have recently introduced age checks on some features in an apparent bid to ward off inclusion in the ban.

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He is cradling the ball in his left hand and warding off impending tacklers with his right, a striking bronze symbol of a university’s resilience and strength.

Read more on Los Angeles Times