EN

Synonyms for stave off

  • verb

Most common

avoid ward off suspend fend off lay over delay

Synonyms by meaning

Verb

1. Avoid

avoid, head off, ward off, suspend, fend off, deflect, avert, obviate, debar, forfend dated

2. Lay over

put off, lay over, delay, postpone, defer, adjourn, procrastinate

Definitions

  1. v. 1

    To prevent something from happening; to obviate or avert.

    He drank plenty of orange juice, hoping to stave off the cold making the rounds at the office.

Example sentences

  • avoid She started early in order to avoid the rush hour.
  • suspend The principal decided to suspend Lorenzo for a week.
  • delay He's desperately trying to make up for the delay.

By length

5 letters
avoid2, delay2, defer2, avert2, debar
7 letters
suspend2, deflect2, adjourn2, obviate3, forfend
8 letters
postpone2
13 letters
procrastinate4

The small number after each word is its number of syllables (avoid2 = 2 syllables).