fend off

push away an attack or unwanted person

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What does "fend sb/sth off" mean?

To fend off something means to actively defend yourself against it — not by launching a counterattack, but by deflecting, blocking, or keeping it at bay. The key idea is that something unwanted is pressing towards you and you are working to stop it from reaching you or affecting you. It carries a strong sense of being under pressure: the defender is in a reactive position, holding something threatening off rather than going on the offensive. This phrasal verb appears most naturally in journalism, business writing, and political commentary — think of a company fending off a hostile takeover bid, or a politician fending off awkward questions at a press conference. In everyday conversation it can sound overly formal, so in casual contexts speakers might simply say 'deal with' or 'handle' instead.

Examples

How to use it

fend off + object

The most common pattern, where the unwanted person, force, or challenge follows the particle. The object is always something hostile or unwanted.

The CEO spent much of the meeting trying to fend off questions about the company's falling profits.

fend + short noun phrase/pronoun + off

Separation is possible, especially with short objects or pronouns, though the unseparated form is more common in formal writing.

Several journalists surrounded the minister, but her press team managed to fend them off.

manage to fend off + object

Often used with 'manage to' or similar expressions to convey that the defence required effort and was not straightforward.

The retailer managed to fend off the takeover bid by negotiating with key shareholders.

struggle to fend off + object

Used when the defender is finding it difficult to keep the threat at bay, suggesting they may not succeed.

The opposition party struggled to fend off allegations of financial misconduct in the run-up to the election.

fend off + object + by/with + method

Commonly extended with a prepositional phrase explaining how the defence was achieved.

The company fended off its rivals by investing heavily in product innovation.

Common Collocations

fend off criticismfend off questionsfend off a takeover bidfend off an attackfend off competitionfend off reporters

Common Mistakes

Confusing 'fend off' with 'fight off'

'Fight off' implies a more active, sustained struggle and works well for physical or emotional combat; 'fend off' emphasises deflection and keeping something at bay, and is the more natural choice in formal business or political contexts. Using 'fight off' where 'fend off' is expected can make writing sound less precise.

✗ The board fought off the takeover bid by issuing new shares.
✓ The board fended off the takeover bid by issuing new shares.
Using the passive

'Fend off' almost never appears in the passive because the subject is always the active defender. Passive constructions with this phrasal verb sound unnatural and should be avoided.

✗ The takeover bid was fended off by the company last year.
✓ The company fended off the takeover bid last year.
Separating with a long noun phrase

Separation works well with pronouns or short objects, but placing a long or complex noun phrase between 'fend' and 'off' sounds awkward. Keep long objects after 'off'.

✗ The minister fended a series of increasingly hostile questions from journalists off.
✓ The minister fended off a series of increasingly hostile questions from journalists.

Usage

This phrasal verb is most common in formal written English, especially in journalism and business. It is rarely used in casual conversation, where 'deal with' or 'handle' might sound more natural.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is 'fend off' mainly used in formal writing, or can I use it in conversation too?

'Fend off' is most at home in journalism, business reporting, and political commentary — it can sound surprisingly formal in casual speech. In everyday conversation, native speakers are more likely to say 'deal with' or 'handle'. That said, it does appear in informal speech when the speaker wants to add a slightly dramatic or emphatic tone.

What kinds of things can be the object of 'fend off'?

The object is always something unwanted, threatening, or hostile — never neutral or positive things. Typical objects include criticism, questions, reporters, a takeover bid, rivals, a lawsuit, allegations, or an attack. You would not say 'fend off a good opportunity' or 'fend off support'.

Can 'fend off' be used in a physical, literal sense, or only figuratively?

'Fend off' can be used literally to describe physically repelling an attacker or a predator, and this is in fact its older, original sense. However, in modern English its figurative uses — in corporate, political, and media contexts — are far more frequent. Both are correct and natural.

Does 'fend off' work in continuous tenses?

The past continuous is fine and fairly natural ('she was fending off reporters all morning'). However, the future continuous and present perfect continuous both sound forced and are best avoided. Stick to the simple past, present perfect, simple present, or infinitive constructions for the most natural results.

Does 'fend off' always mean the defender succeeds?

Not necessarily — 'fend off' describes the attempt to repel something, not always a successful outcome. Phrases like 'struggled to fend off' or 'failed to fend off' make it clear the defence did not work. When used without such qualifiers, it often implies at least temporary success in keeping the threat at bay.

Related Phrasal Verbs

ward sth off

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