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

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

The candidates in Kansas' surprisingly competitive Senate race faced off in a debate Wednesday evening, as Republicans fight to head off the possibility of their first loss in a Kansas Senate contest in nearly a century. — Riley Callanan, CBS News, 22 Oct. 2026

Stern invited me to tour its offices and factory floor before heading off to the convention in nearby Schaumburg, Illinois. — ArsTechnica, 21 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