as in to prevent
to keep from happening by taking action in advance
you can often forestall skidding on the ice simply by driving more slowly
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Recent Examples of forestall
Some of these are rooted in politicized racial and demographic changes that existing property owners have tried to forestall through restrictive land use regulations that the Supreme Court allowed beginning in the 1920s.
—
Yaakov Katz, Newsweek, 13 Jan. 2025
Jokes are safer, forestalling opinion—and thereby contention—by forgoing one.
—Lauren Michele Jackson, The New Yorker, 27 Feb. 2025
The policy hasn't forestalled the decline in births in Hungary, with the total fertility rate dropping from 1.50 to 1.35 since the policy went into effect.
—Tommy Tuberville, Newsweek, 6 Mar. 2025
In speaking with reporters, Trump added that there’s nothing the three countries can do to forestall the tariffs.
—Michael Kan, PCMAG, 31 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for forestall
Yaakov Katz, Newsweek, 13 Jan. 2025
Jokes are safer, forestalling opinion—and thereby contention—by forgoing one.
—Lauren Michele Jackson, The New Yorker, 27 Feb. 2025
The policy hasn't forestalled the decline in births in Hungary, with the total fertility rate dropping from 1.50 to 1.35 since the policy went into effect.
—Tommy Tuberville, Newsweek, 6 Mar. 2025
In speaking with reporters, Trump added that there’s nothing the three countries can do to forestall the tariffs.
—Michael Kan, PCMAG, 31 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for forestall
Cite this Entry
“Forestall.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/forestall. Accessed 16 Apr. 2025.
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