fend off vs obviate

fend off and obviate both are verbs.

Word	Noun	Adjective	Verb	Adverb
fend off	No	No	Yes	No
obviate	No	No	Yes	No

As verbs, fend off and obviate are synonyms defined as:

fend off and obviate: prevent the occurrence of; prevent from happening; to protect from or to keep away anything undesirable; to ward off

Other synonyms of fend off include avert, avoid, debar, deflect, forefend, forfend, head off, stave off, ward off.

fend off (verb)	obviate (verb)
prevent the occurrence of; prevent from happening; to protect from or to keep away anything undesirable; to ward off	prevent the occurrence of; prevent from happening; to protect from or to keep away anything undesirable; to ward off
	get rid of something