as in to prevent
to keep from happening by taking action in advance
if we act quickly, we may still be able to head off disaster
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of head off
That being said, there is also a good chance that Rodgers decides to head off into the sunset and retire.
—
Evan Massey, MSNBC Newsweek, 17 May 2025
The airfield famously hosted an aeronautical school in the 1940s, when the Army Air Corps relied on the facility to train aviators headed off to fight World War II.
—Lucas Robinson, San Diego Union-Tribune, 25 May 2025
Doing so heads off the job board chaos to begin with.
—Rebecca Fraser-Thill, Forbes.com, 24 May 2025
After a news conference outside the jail, Williams climbed into his SUV and headed off, with the fallout from the now-notorious jailbreak still yet to crest.
—Chris Kenning, USA Today, 24 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for head off
Evan Massey, MSNBC Newsweek, 17 May 2025
The airfield famously hosted an aeronautical school in the 1940s, when the Army Air Corps relied on the facility to train aviators headed off to fight World War II.
—Lucas Robinson, San Diego Union-Tribune, 25 May 2025
Doing so heads off the job board chaos to begin with.
—Rebecca Fraser-Thill, Forbes.com, 24 May 2025
After a news conference outside the jail, Williams climbed into his SUV and headed off, with the fallout from the now-notorious jailbreak still yet to crest.
—Chris Kenning, USA Today, 24 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for head off
Recent Examples of Synonyms for head off
Verb
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Nations begin to covet their AI and set up barriers to prevent other nations from stealing or copying the early AGI systems. Year 2037: Advances in AI showcase human-like situational adaptability and innovation.—
Lance Eliot,
Forbes.com,
5 June 2025
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Sabalenka’s 7-6 (1), 4-6, 6-0 win in the semifinals prevents Swiatek from becoming the first woman to win four consecutive championships in Paris.—
Howard Fendrich,
Chicago Tribune,
5 June 2025
Verb
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The enclave needs at least 500 to 600 trucks daily to avert a deepening humanitarian catastrophe, as civilians face a severe shortage of supplies like food and medicine, said UNRWA, the UN agency for Palestinian refugees in Gaza.—
Jeremy Diamond,
CNN Money,
26 May 2025
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Matthew Barrett, president and CEO of the Connecticut Association of Health Care Facilities, the state’s largest nursing home coalition, praised Lamont and union leadership for averting a work stoppage.—
Keith M. Phaneuf,
Hartford Courant,
23 May 2025
Cite this Entry
“Head off.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/head%20off. Accessed 12 Jun. 2025.
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