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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Recent Examples of head off
Joanna additionally shared an Instagram reel enjoying one last family dinner before two of her kids head off to college.
—
Stephanie Giang-Paunon, FOXNews.com, 20 Aug. 2025
Her dad was ready to cut my head off.
—Theoden Janes, Charlotte Observer, 19 Aug. 2025
The government, under former Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, intervened last year to head off rail and dock strikes that threatened to cripple the economy.
—Allison Lampert, USA Today, 17 Aug. 2025
The hope was to head off yet another destructive invasive species taking hold in the state.
—Calmatters, Mercury News, 14 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for head off
Stephanie Giang-Paunon, FOXNews.com, 20 Aug. 2025
Her dad was ready to cut my head off.
—Theoden Janes, Charlotte Observer, 19 Aug. 2025
The government, under former Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, intervened last year to head off rail and dock strikes that threatened to cripple the economy.
—Allison Lampert, USA Today, 17 Aug. 2025
The hope was to head off yet another destructive invasive species taking hold in the state.
—Calmatters, Mercury News, 14 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for head off
Recent Examples of Synonyms for head off
Verb
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On the southwestern side of the fire, hand crews and dozers began building new containment lines along Sycamore Ridge Road to prevent the westward spread of the fire from the Dinkey Creek drainage and cut the fire off close to its active edge.—
CA WILDFIRE BOT,
Sacbee.com,
6 Sep. 2025
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When in a group, space out to prevent the current from transferring between individuals.—
STAR-TELEGRAM WEATHER BOT,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
6 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Senate Democrats are attempting to wield their leverage over Republicans, who will need their help in a few weeks to clear a 60-vote filibuster and avert the latest shutdown deadline.—
Ramsey Touchberry,
The Washington Examiner,
5 Sep. 2025
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Advertisement The tough talk coming from Democrats now is not all that different from what some of them were saying in March, just before Schumer and other Senate Democrats gave in and averted a shutdown.—
Nik Popli,
Time,
4 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Head off.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/head%20off. Accessed 9 Sep. 2025.
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