stave off hunger

Meaning

To temporarily prevent or delay the feeling of hunger, usually by eating a small snack or drinking water until a full meal is ready. It implies holding off an uncomfortable sensation for a limited time.

Examples

• I ate a handful of almonds to stave off hunger before the late dinner.

  I ate a handful of almonds to stave off hunger before the late dinner.

• Drinking a large glass of water can help stave off hunger for an hour or so.

  Drinking a large glass of water can help stave off hunger for an hour or so.

• Keep some protein bars in your desk drawer to stave off hunger during long meetings.

  Keep some protein bars in your desk drawer to stave off hunger during long meetings.

• We need something small to stave off hunger while the main course is roasting.

  We need something small to stave off hunger while the main course is roasting.

• An apple is usually enough to stave off hunger until I get home.

  An apple is usually enough to stave off hunger until I get home.

Common Mistakes

• ✗ I ate a sandwich to staff off hunger.

  ✓ I ate a sandwich to stave off hunger.

  Learners often mishear or misspell "stave" as "staff" or "starve". "Stave off" is a specific phrasal verb meaning to ward off or delay.

• ✗ I need to stave off my hunger of lunch.

  ✓ I need to stave off my hunger until lunch.

  "Stave off hunger" is typically followed by time-based prepositions like "until" or "before", not "of".

Related Expressions

Practice

• I usually eat a banana in the afternoon to ___.

  💡 Keep hunger away temporarily.

  Show answer

  stave off hunger

• If you don't eat anything to ___ now, you'll overeat at dinner.

  💡 Delay your appetite.

  Show answer

  stave off hunger