1
: any of the narrow strips of wood or narrow iron plates placed edge to edge to form the sides, covering, or lining of a vessel (such as a barrel) or structure
4
staved or stove
ˈstōv 
; staving
; staving
1
: to smash a hole in
stove in the boat
also
: to crush or break inward
staved in several ribs
2
: to break in the staves of (a cask)
3
: to drive or thrust away
1
: to walk or move rapidly
2
archaic
: to become stove in
—used of a boat or ship
Examples of stave in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Jonah Flicker, Robb Report, 17 Sep. 2024
This all-in-one formula washes away stubborn makeup, soothes and staves away redness, and employs antimicrobial protection to soften signs of maturing—hydrating all the while.
—Sarah Han, Allure, 16 Aug. 2024
Roger Vincent, Los Angeles Times, 4 Sep. 2024
To stave that off, von der Leyen offered to build a coalition with the Social Democrats and the pro-business Liberals.
—Samuel Petrequin, Twin Cities, 9 June 2024
See all Example Sentences for stave 
Noun
This comes on the heels of the relaunch of Maker’s Mark’s Wood Finishing Series, which arrived last June in the form of the Heart Release, a cask-strength bourbon finished with two different types of wood staves.
—Jonah Flicker, Robb Report, 17 Sep. 2024
This all-in-one formula washes away stubborn makeup, soothes and staves away redness, and employs antimicrobial protection to soften signs of maturing—hydrating all the while.
—Sarah Han, Allure, 16 Aug. 2024
Verb
To stave that off, one of the entities that own the site filed for bankruptcy.
—Roger Vincent, Los Angeles Times, 4 Sep. 2024
To stave that off, von der Leyen offered to build a coalition with the Social Democrats and the pro-business Liberals.
—Samuel Petrequin, Twin Cities, 9 June 2024
See all Example Sentences for stave
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'stave.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near stave
Cite this Entry
“Stave.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/stave. Accessed 8 Oct. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
stave
1 of 2 noun1
: a wooden stick
2
: one of the narrow strips of wood or iron plates placed edge to edge to form the sides, covering, or lining of a vessel (as a barrel or cask) or structure
3
: stanza
stave
2 of 2 verb
staved or stove
ˈstōv
; staving
; staving
1
: to break in the staves of (a cask)
2
: to smash a hole in
stave in a boat
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