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
Before Snow heads off to serve his sentence, President Warnock (Peter Hudson) receives the news that his daughter, Emilie (Maggie Grace), who was investigating issues around MS One, has been taken hostage by the prisoners who have woken up.
—
Sergio Pereira, Space.com, 25 Apr. 2026
Released to critical acclaim in February 2022, Elden Ring is an action RPG set in an authentic dark fantasy world, which allows players to head off on adventures within vast environments and dungeons.
—Justin Kroll, Deadline, 20 Apr. 2026
The moody space feels well-suited for a nightcap before heading off to bed.
—Tori Latham, Robb Report, 16 Apr. 2026
After laughing my head off all evening, there was a moment, just before the night ended, when my eyes teared up.
—Emily Nussbaum, New Yorker, 16 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for head off
Sergio Pereira, Space.com, 25 Apr. 2026
Released to critical acclaim in February 2022, Elden Ring is an action RPG set in an authentic dark fantasy world, which allows players to head off on adventures within vast environments and dungeons.
—Justin Kroll, Deadline, 20 Apr. 2026
The moody space feels well-suited for a nightcap before heading off to bed.
—Tori Latham, Robb Report, 16 Apr. 2026
After laughing my head off all evening, there was a moment, just before the night ended, when my eyes teared up.
—Emily Nussbaum, New Yorker, 16 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for head off
Recent Examples of Synonyms for head off
Verb
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Obama believes norms that prevent the expansion of executive power may need to be codified into law.—
Terry Collins,
USA Today,
6 May 2026
-
The research team led by Schlamminger performed a completely blind analysis, randomizing the values of the masses used to prevent experimenter bias.—
Big Think,
Big Think,
6 May 2026
Verb
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Crisis was quickly averted before any photos were taken as the milliner reoriented his creation atop her head.—
Kristen Tauer,
Footwear News,
7 May 2026
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Six bargaining sessions have included a federal mediator, who acts as a neutral third-party and is typically called in to help avert a strike.—
Kate Armanini,
Chicago Tribune,
30 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Head off.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/head%20off. Accessed 9 May. 2026.
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