forestall

verb

fore·​stall fȯr-ˈstȯl How to pronounce forestall (audio)
forestalled; forestalling; forestalls

transitive verb

1
: to exclude, hinder, or prevent (something) by prior occupation or measures
Negotiations failed to forestall the conflict.
2
: to get ahead of (something) : anticipate
detailed explanations intended to forestall questions
3
: to prevent the normal trading in (something) by buying or diverting goods or by persuading people to raise prices
forestalling the wheat harvest and selling it at three times its cost …George Bernard Shaw
4
archaic : intercept
… he sprang like a cat to the top of the cabin and ran aft. But his pursuers forestalling him, he doubled back across the cabin …Jack London
5
obsolete : obstruct, beset
forestaller noun
forestallment noun
Choose the Right Synonym for forestall

prevent, anticipate, forestall mean to deal with beforehand.

prevent implies taking advance measures against something possible or probable.

measures taken to prevent leaks

anticipate may imply merely getting ahead of another by being a precursor or forerunner or it may imply checking another's intention by acting first.

anticipated the question by making a statement

forestall implies a getting ahead so as to stop or interrupt something in its course.

hoped to forestall the sale

Examples of forestall in a Sentence

Negotiations failed to forestall the conflict. His comments were meant to forestall criticism of his proposal. He forestalled critics by offering a defense of the project.
Recent Examples on the Web So simply forestalling the ascent of powerful autocracies may eventually help democratic values spread into once inhospitable places. Hal Brands, Foreign Affairs, 20 Feb. 2024 The ruling was a victory for prosecutors and for legions of Girardi’s former clients who feared that their erstwhile lawyer’s dementia diagnosis would forestall a jury trial and accountability for the 84-year-old. Harriet Ryan, Los Angeles Times, 2 Jan. 2024 But an appeal by Google could forestall any changes. Paresh Dave, WIRED, 12 Dec. 2023 Other senior administration officials recalled sprinting to the Oval Office to try to forestall some of Mr. Trump’s orders. Sharon Lafraniere, New York Times, 5 Dec. 2023 The laws also typically forbid states to interfere with the private school’s instructional content or admission policies, and thereby forestall any attempt to see what the school is managing to teach its students. Peter Greene, Forbes, 28 Nov. 2023 This kind of biographical positivism—Eng stays close to the historical facts—has the effect of forestalling the most fertile element of the novel, its manner of layering the narratives. James Wood, The New Yorker, 6 Nov. 2023 At the same time, steady growth and hiring have forestalled a recession, which was widely predicted at the end of last year. Christopher Rugaber, Fortune, 26 Oct. 2023 The opposition portrayed this election as the last, best chance to forestall Poland’s descent into autocracy. Annabelle Chapman, Washington Post, 16 Oct. 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'forestall.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from forstall act of waylaying, from Old English foresteall, from fore- + steall position, stall

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 3

Time Traveler
The first known use of forestall was in the 15th century

Dictionary Entries Near forestall

Cite this Entry

“Forestall.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/forestall. Accessed 29 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

forestall

verb
fore·​stall fōr-ˈstȯl How to pronounce forestall (audio)
fȯr-
: to keep out, interfere with, or prevent by steps taken in advance
forestaller noun
forestallment noun

More from Merriam-Webster on forestall

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