fend

fend — verb

1. to push away or stop something that is attacking or threatening you, or to keep

1.verbtransitiveB2
Definition

to push away or stop something that is attacking or threatening you, or to keep an unwanted person or thing at a distance

Example

The goalkeeper fended off three powerful shots in the final minutes of the match.

fend off + concrete object (shots)

Eli fended off a swarm of mosquitoes by lighting a citronella candle on the patio.

fend off + living threat (mosquitoes)

Common collocations
  • fend off + attack/blow/criticism/questions
  • fend off + illness/cold/competitors
  • fend off + dog/wolves/mosquitoes
Synonyms
  • repel

    more formal; suggests driving back with force, often military or scientific

  • ward off

    interchangeable with 'fend off'; slightly more common for illness or bad luck

  • keep at bay

    idiomatic; suggests holding a threat at a distance without eliminating it

Antonyms
  • welcome

    opposite of keeping someone or something away

  • invite

    opposite action of actively preventing approach

Grammar Patterns

fend + off + noun phrase

Usage Note

Nearly always used with 'off' as a phrasal verb. The object is typically a concrete attack, threat, illness, or competitor — not an abstract idea.

Common Mistakes

He fended the dog
He fended off the dog
the particle 'off' is almost always required with this sense.
She fended off from the question
She fended off the question
do not add a preposition after 'off'.

2. to take care of yourself and meet your basic needs — such as finding food, shelt

2.verbintransitiveB2
Definition

to take care of yourself and meet your basic needs — such as finding food, shelter, or money — without help from other people

Example

Rin moved to a new city at eighteen and had to learn to fend for herself quickly.

fend for + reflexive pronoun (herself)

The stray kittens were old enough at eight weeks to fend for themselves without their mother.

fend for + themselves (animals)

Common collocations
  • learn to fend for yourself
  • left to fend for themselves
  • old enough to fend for yourself
  • fend for yourself financially
Synonyms
Antonyms

Grammar Patterns

fend + for + reflexive pronoun (yourself, himself, herself, themselves)

Usage Note

Always used with a reflexive pronoun (yourself, himself, herself, itself, themselves) followed by 'for'. The subject is usually a person or a living creature becoming independent.

Common Mistakes

She had to fend for her life
She had to fend for herself
'fend for yourself' refers to managing daily needs, not a life-threatening struggle.
Phrasal verbs

fend off

phrasal verb

to push away or prevent someone or something from reaching you, especially an attacker, competitor, or illness

Christopher fended off questions about his resignation by saying he needed more time with his family.

The army fended off the invading forces for three weeks before reinforcements arrived.

Idioms

fend for yourself

idiom

to look after yourself without relying on anyone else for food, money, or other basic needs

When Adisa's scholarship ended, he had to fend for himself while finishing his degree.

The chicks leave the nest after two weeks and must fend for themselves from then on.

Word family

  • fender
    nounC1

Synonym discussion

Sense: verb/1

All four expressions describe preventing something from reaching you, but they differ in force and register. 'Fend off' is the most conversational — you fend off a punch, a question, or a cold using everyday actions like raising an arm or drinking tea. 'Repel' sounds more formal and often implies physical or scientific force, as in 'the fabric repels water' or 'the army repelled the attack'. 'Ward off' leans toward superstition or prevention, such as warding off evil spirits or illness. 'Keep at bay' is an idiom that emphasises holding a threat at a distance without eliminating it, like keeping your creditors at bay with small payments. Use 'fend off' in neutral everyday English; reach for 'repel' in formal or technical writing; use 'ward off' when the threat feels intangible or superstitious; and use 'keep at bay' when the danger remains but is temporarily controlled.

fend off ↗repelward off ↗keep at bay

Common collocations

Nouns

Adverbs

  • off
  • for yourself

Phrases

Prepositions

Etymology

LatinOld FrenchMiddle EnglishEnglish

The verb 'fend' is a shortened form of Middle English 'defenden', borrowed from Old French 'defendre', which in turn comes from Latin 'dēfendere' ('to ward off, protect'). The sense of a person managing alone ('fending for oneself') emerged in the early 1800s, shifting the focus from defending against an external threat to providing for one's own needs. 'Fend' lost its original prefix 'de-' over time, but its core idea of keeping something away — whether a blow or a problem — has remained constant since the 1300s.