warden off

USAGE SUMMARY

"warden off" is not a correct or usable phrase in written English.
It is not a standard phrase and would likely be confusing if used in writing. If you mean to use the phrase in the sense of "prevent something from occurring" you could use a phrase such as "ward off" or "keep at bay". For example: "We must ward off the threat of famine so that everyone has enough food."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

News & Media

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

1 human-written examples

In most of Wyoming covering up a shot wolf by pretending it's a coyote is no longer necessary to keep the game warden off your back; now it's legal to kill wolves.

Huffington Post

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

58 human-written examples

Upgrade to the Warden's Quarters.

BBC

The warden walked off.

The New York Times

The warden gazed off as he smoked, casting his eyes to the distant hills.

Vice

The warden stepped off to talk with an officer as I sat down with two of the inmates, Amanda and Maria.

Vice

Abuse is when you tell a traffic warden to fuck off".

The Guardian

But again his memoir tells a different story, boasting of a bet he had with Freddie Starr (another Operation Yewtree arrest) that he could make the first woman he stopped in the street come to his office and agree to a revealing photo; he won when a traffic warden happily took off her top and told him she wanted a career in TV.

The Guardian

He must stop the prison's insane warden Hugo Strange and face off against typical Batman villains such the Joker, Bane and the Riddler.

Huffington Post

Warden Cain brushes off the suggestion that some prisoners might dislike the markers.

The New York Times

"Slapping people with hefty fines is akin to criminalising them but by making 10-minute grace periods mandatory we can bring some common sense back to parking on the high street and ease every traffic warden's finger off the ticket trigger.

BBC

A few years back, according to Roman A. Chikachov, a game warden in Blagoveschensk, Russian hunters took to passing off the more common wild boar gallbladders as bear gallbladders.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Avoid using the phrase "warden off". Instead, use the correct phrasal verb "ward off" to express the idea of averting or repelling something. For example, "We must ward off the threat of famine" is grammatically sound.

Common error

A common error is to mistakenly use "warden off" when the intended meaning is to prevent or repel something. Remember that "warden" refers to a person in charge, while "ward off" is the correct phrasal verb. Double-check your context to ensure you're using the right term.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "warden off" is grammatically incorrect. It seems to be a confusion of the word "warden" (a person in charge) with the phrasal verb "ward off" (to repel or prevent). Ludwig AI confirms this assessment.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

Science

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News & Media

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Formal & Business

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Less common in

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News & Media

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Formal & Business

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Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "warden off" is grammatically incorrect. The correct phrasal verb is "ward off", which means to repel or prevent something. As confirmed by Ludwig AI, there is very limited and likely incorrect usage of "warden off" in reliable sources. When writing, ensure you use "ward off" or other suitable alternatives like "keep at bay" or "fend off" to accurately convey your intended meaning. Always double-check your grammar to avoid such errors.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

ward off

Replaces the incorrect form with the correct phrasal verb, meaning to avert or repel something.

keep at bay

Suggests maintaining distance and control over a potential threat or problem.

fend off

Implies defending against an attack or unwanted advance.

hold off

Means to delay or postpone something, or to prevent something from happening.

deter

Focuses on discouraging someone from doing something through fear or doubt.

repel

Highlights the act of driving something back or away forcefully.

avert

Emphasizes the prevention of an undesirable event or outcome.

stave off

Means to prevent something bad from happening for a period of time.

keep away

Simple phrase indicating to maintain physical or metaphorical distance.

manage

Focuses on controlling or handling a situation or person.

FAQs

What is the correct way to use "ward off" in a sentence?

Use "ward off" to mean to avert or repel something. For example, "Proper hygiene can help ward off infections".

What does "ward off" mean?

"Ward off" is a phrasal verb that means to prevent someone or something from harming you or affecting you. It suggests averting or repelling something undesirable.

Is "warden off" grammatically correct?

No, "warden off" is not a grammatically correct phrase in English. The correct phrasal verb is "ward off".

What can I say instead of "warden off"?

Since "warden off" is not correct, use "ward off" to mean prevent or repel. Other alternatives include "keep at bay" or "fend off".