Warding off is a term used to describe the act of preventing or avoiding something unpleasant or harmful. There are many synonyms for this phrase, including repelling, deterring, fending off, deflecting, inhibiting, avoiding, precluding, and averting. Each of these words describes a different way of avoiding a threat or danger, from physically pushing something away to mentally avoiding or stopping it from happening. Warding off can be applied to a variety of situations, from protecting oneself from physical harm to avoiding negative emotions or experiences, and the use of synonyms can help to add variety and nuance to one's writing and speech.