forestall

verb

fore·​stall fȯr-ˈstȯl 

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

fȯr-ˈstȯl-mənt 

noun

Synonyms

• avert
• head off
• help
• obviate
• preclude
• prevent
• stave off

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

Respondents were polled just days after the news broke that Washington had placed its first hold in years on a weapons shipment to Israel to try to forestall an Israeli invasion of Rafah. —Daniel Silverman, Foreign Affairs, 28 Aug. 2024

Just before these Games, the far-right won big in Europe-wide elections, prompting President Emmanuel Macron to call a surprise legislative vote in the apparent hope of forestalling its momentum. —Alexander Smith, NBC News, 12 Aug. 2024

If these practices are not forestalled soon, the least scrupulous actors will quickly accrue power and the fancy lobbyists and lawyers that come along with it. —Adam Clair, Vox, 5 Aug. 2024

The agreement forestalls a strike, which library workers at the system's 27 branches voted last month to pursue if a new contract had not been negotiated by July 18. —Sam Allard, Axios, 9 July 2024

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

Kids Definition

forestall

verb

fore·​stall fōr-ˈstȯl 

fȯr-

: to keep out, interfere with, or prevent by steps taken in advance

forestaller noun

forestallment

-ˈstȯl-mənt 

noun