as in preventing
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 heading off
Quarterback Wyatt Brown, instead of heading off to West Virginia, has been training in the 400 to gain speed for his college season this fall.
—
Eric Sondheimer, Los Angeles Times, 4 Mar. 2026
The five-year exhibit runs in San Francisco’s Presidio through August before heading off to 10 other cities, including Honolulu, Los Angeles, and Portland, Oregon.
—ABC News, 3 Mar. 2026
Witt will spend a few weeks in camp before heading off to join Team USA for the 2026 World Baseball Classic.
—Kansas City Star, 17 Feb. 2026
Cochran left home for Charlotte in 2008 to study at Johnson & Wales, earning double degrees in Culinary Arts and Food Service Management before heading off to New York in search of great things.
—Heidi Finley, Charlotte Observer, 13 Feb. 2026
Same with traffic heading off to the left of the turnpike to get to the plaza bathrooms and fast-food windows.
—Miami Herald Archives, Miami Herald, 13 Feb. 2026
The pair attended Centennial High School before both heading off to the University of Georgia.
—Kait Hanson, Southern Living, 9 Feb. 2026
So significant is the surge in stylish guys heading off to the Alps or the Hakuba Valley that Jordan’s ski sales were dramatically higher at the start of the season.
—Justin Fenner, Robb Report, 1 Feb. 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
Eric Sondheimer, Los Angeles Times, 4 Mar. 2026
The five-year exhibit runs in San Francisco’s Presidio through August before heading off to 10 other cities, including Honolulu, Los Angeles, and Portland, Oregon.
—ABC News, 3 Mar. 2026
Witt will spend a few weeks in camp before heading off to join Team USA for the 2026 World Baseball Classic.
—Kansas City Star, 17 Feb. 2026
Cochran left home for Charlotte in 2008 to study at Johnson & Wales, earning double degrees in Culinary Arts and Food Service Management before heading off to New York in search of great things.
—Heidi Finley, Charlotte Observer, 13 Feb. 2026
Same with traffic heading off to the left of the turnpike to get to the plaza bathrooms and fast-food windows.
—Miami Herald Archives, Miami Herald, 13 Feb. 2026
The pair attended Centennial High School before both heading off to the University of Georgia.
—Kait Hanson, Southern Living, 9 Feb. 2026
So significant is the surge in stylish guys heading off to the Alps or the Hakuba Valley that Jordan’s ski sales were dramatically higher at the start of the season.
—Justin Fenner, Robb Report, 1 Feb. 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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for heading off
Verb
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The study recommends that coaches and athletes monitor the mileage of individual runs, which may actually be more important for preventing injury.—
Emma Loewe,
Outside,
11 Mar. 2026
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Before Castro began preventing citizens from leaving the country, Cuba’s then-thriving professional leagues had already turned amateur, forcing top players such as Perez and Cárdenas to decide between pursuing their MLB careers or living a rewardless life as stars in Cuba.—
Tyler Carmona,
Miami Herald,
11 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Understanding the gravity of a red flag warning and adhering to these precautions is paramount in averting wildfires during these perilous conditions.—
KANSAS CITY STAR WEATHER BOT,
Kansas City Star,
27 Feb. 2026
-
In some ways, the moment was a replay of 1977, but this time Woodruff looked directly at Walker, instead of averting his eyes.—
Jennifer Gonnerman,
New Yorker,
25 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Heading off.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/heading%20off. Accessed 12 Mar. 2026.
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