obviate vs fend off

obviate and fend off both are verbs.

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

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

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

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

obviate (verb)	fend off (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