forestall

1 of 2

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

forestaller

2 of 2

noun

fore·​stall·​er

-lə(r)

plural -s

1

: one that forestalls

broadly : middleman sense 3a

2

: the act or offense of forestalling

Synonyms of forestall

Verb

• prevent
• avert

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

Verb

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

Verb

Grant asks Chris about the boxing gloves now for sale in the night store, but Katie forestalls him by running over and grabbing them, nearly flattening Chris. — Tasha Robinson, Vulture, 16 June 2026

That’s because addressing disease at earlier stages can help forestall potential productivity losses and costly health complications, creating substantial long-term benefits. — Tomas J. Philipson, Twin Cities, 4 June 2026

The incentives weren’t enough to forestall foreclosure at The Fay, however. — Julia Prodis Sulek, Mercury News, 4 June 2026

Located just 2 miles away from the former insurance building that housed the residual mechanism, the ICC was set up as a permanent, global court to prosecute humanity’s worst crimes and forestall the need to create ad hoc tribunals for every conflict. — ABC News, 20 May 2026

Word History

Etymology

Verb

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

Noun

Middle English forstaller, forestaller, from forstallen, forestallen + -er

First Known Use

Verb

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 3

Rhymes for forestall

• aerosol
• alcohol
• arbitral
• basketball
• butanol
• cannonball
• carbinol
• cortisol
• ethanol
• fireball
• gasohol
• gossypol

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