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.
The mall’s survival amid the community’s devastation was not without controversy given Caruso’s use of private firefighters to ward off the flames.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 15, 2026
Few places see more activity than the turquoise shores of Lake Tahoe, where homeowners are spending thousands to ward off the pantry-raiding, toothpaste-sniffing beasts.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 23, 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
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
He tried to fight back the familiar rage with his memory of touching the Spirit Bear, but nothing seemed to ward off the bitterness and frustration that flooded his mind.
From "Touching Spirit Bear" by Ben Mikaelsen
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.
