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

intransitive verb

: to go to another place

See you later—I'm heading off to work.

Synonyms of head off

• 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

However, anyone with large hands, or anyone who wants a mouse that fills the palm to head off wrist strain, should try before buying. — Sascha Brodsky, PC Magazine, 3 Nov. 2026

Afterward, many guests headed off to Babe’s of Carytown, the oldest lesbian bar on the East Coast. — Shelby Wax, Vogue, 2 Nov. 2026

Released to critical acclaim in 2022, the role-playing game from Japanese publisher Bandai Namco is set in a dark fantasy world and allows players to head off on adventures within vast environments and dungeons. — Andreas Wiseman, Deadline, 27 Oct. 2026

The goal should be to inform them, reduce surprise, limit conflict, head off litigation, and help the grandchildren prepare for their role in the new foundation. — Christina Wing, Fortune, 27 Oct. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1825, in the meaning defined at transitive sense

Rhymes for head off

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