English Meaning & Definitions
To prevent someone or something from harming, affecting, or approaching you.
- “She carried a heavy umbrella to ward off the persistent rain.”
- “The team used a strong defensive strategy to ward off their opponents' attacks.”
Comprehensive Thesaurus Breakdown
Compare formal, informal, literary synonyms and register nuances for “ward off”.
The term combines 'ward' (from Old English 'weard', meaning to guard, protect, or watch) and 'off' (indicating separation or removal). Historically, 'ward' was used in military contexts to describe the act of parrying a blow or defending a position. By the 16th century, the phrasal verb 'ward off' became established to describe the act of physically or metaphorically pushing away a threat or danger.
Imagine a 'Guard' (ward) standing at a gate, pushing an intruder 'off' the property.
Frequently Asked Questions About “ward off”
1. What is the meaning of “ward off” in English?
In English, ward off (verb) is defined as: “To prevent someone or something from harming, affecting, or approaching you.”.
2. How do you use “ward off” in a sentence?
“She carried a heavy umbrella to ward off the persistent rain.”
3. What are English synonyms of “ward off”?
4. What is the etymology and word origin of “ward off”?
The term combines 'ward' (from Old English 'weard', meaning to guard, protect, or watch) and 'off' (indicating separation or removal). Historically, 'ward' was used in military contexts to describe the act of parrying a blow or defending a position. By the 16th century, the phrasal verb 'ward off' became established to describe the act of physically or metaphorically pushing away a threat or danger.
🇬🇧More English Words to English
View all English words →A measurement of time indicating an instantaneous occurrence or a state where no time has elapsed.
The base unit of time in the International System of Units (SI), equal to the duration of 9,192,631,770 periods of the radiation corresponding to the transition between the two hyperfine levels of the ground state of the caesium-133 atom.
A specific duration of time equal to one hour and forty-six minutes and twelve seconds.
The cardinal number equal to one thousand million (1,000,000,000), expressed in scientific notation as 10^9.