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
The four-person cars will be dispatched in pairs as the riders head off on the coaster ride portion of the experience.
—
Brady MacDonald, Oc Register, 16 Jan. 2026
Newsom is trying to head off a union’s plan for a November ballot measure that would put a one-time tax on billionaires.
—Dakota Smith, Los Angeles Times, 16 Jan. 2026
Trump put intense pressure on five Republican senators who joined with Democrats to advance the resolution last week and ultimately prevailed in heading off passage of the legislation.
—Chicago Tribune, 15 Jan. 2026
Morgan headed off in the morning to his job as a Boston Bruin for a matinee against the New York Rangers while his wife Emma, deep into her pregnancy, hitched a ride with another player’s wife to the game.
—Steve Conroy, Boston Herald, 13 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for head off
Brady MacDonald, Oc Register, 16 Jan. 2026
Newsom is trying to head off a union’s plan for a November ballot measure that would put a one-time tax on billionaires.
—Dakota Smith, Los Angeles Times, 16 Jan. 2026
Trump put intense pressure on five Republican senators who joined with Democrats to advance the resolution last week and ultimately prevailed in heading off passage of the legislation.
—Chicago Tribune, 15 Jan. 2026
Morgan headed off in the morning to his job as a Boston Bruin for a matinee against the New York Rangers while his wife Emma, deep into her pregnancy, hitched a ride with another player’s wife to the game.
—Steve Conroy, Boston Herald, 13 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for head off
Recent Examples of Synonyms for head off
Verb
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This formula contains niacinamide to help support hair and skin health, ashwagandha extract to soothe, and biotin to help strengthen hair and prevent breakage.—
Andrea Navarro,
Glamour,
29 Jan. 2026
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The yen touched its strongest level since October in US trading Tuesday after comments from Japanese officials, including just recently the finance minister, fueled speculation that the government may intervene in the market to prevent the currency from resuming its decline.—
Mia Glass,
Bloomberg,
28 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Trump also endorsed a Senate deal on government funding that would help avert a shutdown of federal services, according to Reuters.—
Yeo Boon Ping,
CNBC,
30 Jan. 2026
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Gulf states are ramping up diplomatic efforts to avert a US strike on Iran that could spill across the region.—
Mohammed Sergie,
semafor.com,
30 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Head off.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/head%20off. Accessed 1 Feb. 2026.
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