Definition

1. Verb (transitive):
   • To prevent something bad or unwanted from happening or from reaching you; to avert. This is the core meaning, focusing on taking action to stop a negative event, threat, or influence.
   • To keep someone or something at a distance; to repel. This meaning emphasizes the physical or figurative act of pushing away an immediate danger or unwelcome advance.

Examples of Usage

• Verb:
  • She took vitamin C to ward off a cold. (She aimed to prevent herself from catching a cold.)
  • The security guard raised his arm to ward off the attacker. (He acted to repel or block the attacker's advance.)
  • The company increased prices to ward off a potential takeover. (They took action to prevent the unwanted event of a takeover.)
  • He carried a charm to ward off evil spirits. (He used it to keep the spirits away.)

Advanced Usage

• "to ward off" + [noun phrase]: The structure is almost always followed directly by the object representing the threat or unwanted thing.
  • The policy is designed to ward off economic instability.
• The object is typically an abstract concept (danger, boredom, criticism) or a tangible threat (blow, animal, person).

Variants and Related Words

• Ward (verb): A less common verb on its own, meaning to guard or protect, often used in the phrase "ward off." It also appears in contexts like hospitals ("the children's ward").
• Avert (verb): To turn away or prevent. Often used interchangeably with "ward off" for abstract threats (avert a crisis, avert disaster).
• Fend off (phrasal verb): Very similar to "ward off," especially in the sense of physically defending against an attack. ()

Synonyms

• Prevent: To stop something from happening.
• Avert: To turn away or prevent (something bad).
• Repel: To drive or force back.
• Stave off: To delay or hold off (something bad), often temporarily.

Related Phrasal Verbs

• Head off: To intercept and stop something from progressing. It often implies taking early action to prevent a problem.
  • They held a meeting to head off a conflict within the team. (They aimed to prevent the conflict from developing.)

Related Idioms

• Keep at bay: To prevent something dangerous or unpleasant from coming too close or happening.
  • The antibiotics kept the infection at bay. (This is similar to "ward off the infection.")

Verb

1. avert, turn away, or repel
   • Ward off danger
2. prevent the occurrence of; prevent from happening
   • Let's avoid a confrontation
   • head off a confrontation
   • avert a strike