forestalled; forestalling; forestalls
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
George Bernard Shaw4
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
Jack London
forestaller
noun
Synonyms
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
See all Example Sentences for forestall 
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
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
See all Example Sentences for forestall
Dictionary Entries Near forestall
Cite this Entry
“Forestall.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/forestall. Accessed 26 Nov. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
forestall
verb
fore·stall
fōr-ˈstȯl 
fȯr-
: to keep out, interfere with, or prevent by steps taken in advance
forestaller
noun
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share