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
Born in Detroit, Smith grew up in Columbus, OH before heading off to Howard University in Washington, D.C. and then on to New York, becoming the first woman member of the Kamoinge Workshop—an influential collective of Black photographers in the 1960s.
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Chadd Scott, Forbes, 6 Jan. 2025
Given that Chinese head of state Xi Jinping has told his country's military to be prepared for that invasion by 2027, now is the time to head off the digital salient of what could be a world-shaking future war.
—Wired Staff, WIRED, 30 Dec. 2024
They had been hired by Gender Justice, a legal and advocacy organization, to head off any tensions that might unfold during or after that morning's oral arguments before the Minnesota Supreme Court.
—Odette Yousef, NPR, 20 Dec. 2024
Anna Rose Layden | Reuters Lawmakers in Washington are scrambling to head off a last-minute government shutdown, but investors should make sure to stay in their seats, according to Wells Fargo Investment Institute.
—Brian Evans,sean Conlon, CNBC, 19 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for head off 
Chadd Scott, Forbes, 6 Jan. 2025
Given that Chinese head of state Xi Jinping has told his country's military to be prepared for that invasion by 2027, now is the time to head off the digital salient of what could be a world-shaking future war.
—Wired Staff, WIRED, 30 Dec. 2024
They had been hired by Gender Justice, a legal and advocacy organization, to head off any tensions that might unfold during or after that morning's oral arguments before the Minnesota Supreme Court.
—Odette Yousef, NPR, 20 Dec. 2024
Anna Rose Layden | Reuters Lawmakers in Washington are scrambling to head off a last-minute government shutdown, but investors should make sure to stay in their seats, according to Wells Fargo Investment Institute.
—Brian Evans,sean Conlon, CNBC, 19 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for head off
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“Head off.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/head%20off. Accessed 22 Jan. 2025.
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