head off

verb

headed off; heading off; heads off

transitive verb

: to turn back or turn aside : block, prevent

head them off at the pass

attempts to head off the imminent crisis

Synonyms

• prevent
• avert

Examples of head off in a Sentence

if we act quickly, we may still be able to head off disaster

Recent Examples on the Web

When adversity mounts, when the negativity starts peaking, when a season seems poised to head off the rails, Harbaugh has shown an ability to keep everything on track. —Jeff Zrebiec, New York Times, 1 Oct. 2025

Season 19 is set in Austin, Texas with a new batch of singletons taking the leap to marry a complete stranger at the altar, head off on romantic honeymoons, and then move in together as husband and wife. —Peter White, Deadline, 1 Oct. 2025

Someone cut the head off a dead sea lion on a Northern California beach, and federal fisheries officials would like to know who. —Don Sweeney, Sacbee.com, 29 Sep. 2025

So, unless you are headed off to war or want to come across as a total drama queen, the more casual mata ne (see you later) will suffice. —Jessica Kozuka, Travel + Leisure, 28 Sep. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1825, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for head off

• ashraf
• checkoff
• cutoff
• falloff
• handoff
• kickoff
• layoff
• liftoff
• markoff
• markov
• payoff
• playoff