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

Well, because there was an organization called True the Vote that did so, and they were not smacked down, but they were forestalled from being as aggressive. —Leah Feiger, WIRED, 31 Oct. 2024

One such investigation by the U.S. Commerce Department, which threatened retroactive tariffs on solar imports of up to 250 percent, threw American solar buyers into turmoil, and in June 2022, President Joe Biden was forced to issue an executive order forestalling any tariffs for the next two years. —Dan Wang, Foreign Affairs, 28 Feb. 2023

These days biologists are examining tracks for many purposes, from forestalling wildlife conflicts to averting roadkill. —Ben Goldfarb, Smithsonian Magazine, 23 Oct. 2024

In 2010, the Center for Immigration Studies helped torpedo the DREAM Act, forestalling the possibility that Congress might protect young people brought to the United States as children. —Abrahm Lustgarten, ProPublica, 19 Oct. 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