wards off

VERB

defend, guard

Synonyms

WEAK

avert avoid beat off block check deflect deter divert fend foil forestall frustrate halt hold off interrupt keep at arm's length keep at bay keep off obviate parry preclude prevent rebuff rebut repel repulse rule out stave off stop stymie thwart turn turn aside turn away

Antonyms

WEAK

lay bare make vulnerable open

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.

See Examples For:

wards off

What is the secret of long-lived HSCs that wards off the effects of aging?

From Science Daily ● Apr. 30, 2024

Indigenous people in South America have used kambo for centuries, believing it wards off bad luck and improves hunting skills.

From BBC ● May 10, 2023

It’s not yet clear, however, exactly how the Amazonian variant wards off the protozoan invader.

From Science Magazine ● Mar. 7, 2023

In the plant’s leaves, caffeine acts as a natural pesticide—it wards off insects and therefore prevents insect-born disease.

From Slate ● Jan. 11, 2023

Faunus is frequently called Inuus or the fertilizer, and Lupercus or the one who wards off wolves.

From Myths and Legends of Ancient Greece and Rome by E.M. Berens