stave

5 synonyms and 1 antonym for stave, grouped by meaning and by how common each one is.

Noun — One of the curved wooden strips fitted together to form the side of a barrel or cask.

Synonyms

Everyday swaps

Common words most readers know — safe in any writing.

round staff

Less common

Still standard English, but they carry more weight.

lag

Rare, literary or technical

Precise, but they will stand out — check the sense before using one.

rung stave in

Synonyms by Meaning

1. noun

One of the curved wooden strips fitted together to form the side of a barrel or cask.

“The cooper replaced a cracked stave in the old wine barrel.”

round staff lag rung stave in

2. verb

To keep something away or delay it, especially in the phrase "stave off."

“Drinking water regularly can help stave off dehydration on a hike.”

Opposites

attract

How to use stave

The word patterns that sound natural to a native speaker.

stave off hunger stave off disaster stave in the hull

Etymology

A back-formation from "staves," the old plural of "staff."

Full origin of stave →

Frequently asked questions

What does “stave” mean?

The word “stave” means one of the curved wooden strips fitted together to form the side of a barrel or cask. In plain terms, most often seen today in the phrase "stave off" — to hold something unwanted at bay for a while.

How do you pronounce “stave”?

“Stave” is pronounced stayv (/steɪv/ in IPA).

How do you use “stave” in a sentence?

Here is “stave” used in a sentence: “The cooper replaced a cracked stave in the old wine barrel.”

What part of speech is “stave”?

Depending on how it is used, “stave” can be a noun and a verb.

How many meanings does “stave” have?

“Stave” has 4 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: one of the curved wooden strips fitted together to form the side of a barrel or cask.

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round staff attract lag rung

Nearby words

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