fend off vs head off

fend off and head off both are verbs.

Word	Noun	Adjective	Verb	Adverb
fend off	No	No	Yes	No
head off	No	No	Yes	No

As verbs, fend off and head off are synonyms defined as:

fend off and head off: prevent the occurrence of; prevent from happening; to protect from or to keep away anything undesirable; to ward off

Other synonyms of fend off include avert, avoid, debar, deflect, forefend, forfend, obviate, stave off, ward off.

fend off (verb)	head off (verb)
prevent the occurrence of; prevent from happening; to protect from or to keep away anything undesirable; to ward off	prevent the occurrence of; prevent from happening; to protect from or to keep away anything undesirable; to ward off