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
And finally, at a family-run bed-and-breakfast, two sisters make the most of their summer before the older one heads off to college.
—
Peter Debruge, Variety, 5 Feb. 2025
That happened in 1976, when President Gerald Ford ordered mass vaccination against swine flu to head off a pandemic.
—Emily Mullin, WIRED, 22 Jan. 2025
Charlie rarely speaks, only making clicking sounds, and was seen earlier in the film cutting the head off of a pigeon to make a kind of toy.
—Erica Marrison, People.com, 19 Jan. 2025
Inevitably, the question will arise: Even without the fear of breaking the law, why the hell would anyone head off on their honeymoon with dozens of heads of cabbage stashed in their pants?
—Kate Erbland, IndieWire, 25 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for head off 
Peter Debruge, Variety, 5 Feb. 2025
That happened in 1976, when President Gerald Ford ordered mass vaccination against swine flu to head off a pandemic.
—Emily Mullin, WIRED, 22 Jan. 2025
Charlie rarely speaks, only making clicking sounds, and was seen earlier in the film cutting the head off of a pigeon to make a kind of toy.
—Erica Marrison, People.com, 19 Jan. 2025
Inevitably, the question will arise: Even without the fear of breaking the law, why the hell would anyone head off on their honeymoon with dozens of heads of cabbage stashed in their pants?
—Kate Erbland, IndieWire, 25 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for head off
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Cite this Entry
“Head off.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/head%20off. Accessed 22 Feb. 2025.
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