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
The bottom line: Big pharmacies like Walgreens and CVS went deep into physical retail at the very time when consumers were moving online, but managed to forestall some troubles thanks to a boom in COVID testing and vaccinations (all of which led to pharmacist burnout and shortages).
—
Dan Primack, Axios, 10 Dec. 2024
Hiring freezes, furloughs and layoffs may seem dramatic for a city that only a few short years ago had 16% fiscal reserves, but taking action today will forestall more dramatic cuts should the economy take a turn for the worse.
—The Denver Post Editorial Board, Denver Post, 23 May 2025
And Netanyahu’s aides believe US President Donald Trump will be more supportive of large-scale Israeli military action than former President Joe Biden, who suspended the transfer of certain weapons in order to forestall a major Israeli offensive into the heavily populated southern part of Gaza.
—Mick Krever, CNN, 24 Mar. 2025
Creative power can be dammed up or forestalled by everyday life, ordinary life, life in the squirrel cage.
—Nate Anderson, Ars Technica, 4 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for forestall
Dan Primack, Axios, 10 Dec. 2024
Hiring freezes, furloughs and layoffs may seem dramatic for a city that only a few short years ago had 16% fiscal reserves, but taking action today will forestall more dramatic cuts should the economy take a turn for the worse.
—The Denver Post Editorial Board, Denver Post, 23 May 2025
And Netanyahu’s aides believe US President Donald Trump will be more supportive of large-scale Israeli military action than former President Joe Biden, who suspended the transfer of certain weapons in order to forestall a major Israeli offensive into the heavily populated southern part of Gaza.
—Mick Krever, CNN, 24 Mar. 2025
Creative power can be dammed up or forestalled by everyday life, ordinary life, life in the squirrel cage.
—Nate Anderson, Ars Technica, 4 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for forestall
Recent Examples of Synonyms for forestall
Verb
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Sitting in a chair that supports movement, such as one with a self-adjusting recline mechanism, can help prevent this condition, according to Puleio.—
Angelica Stabile,
FOXNews.com,
11 July 2025
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How to prevent exposure to the plague To prevent exposure to plague, Coconino County officials have the following tips: Avoid contact with wild animals.—
Stephanie Innes,
AZCentral.com,
11 July 2025
Verb
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But with a tentative deal put in place by January, which averted a second strike, the union of 45,000 dockworkers got some reprieve on automation—at least enough to maintain a certain number of jobs.—
Glenn Taylor,
Sourcing Journal,
11 July 2025
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Carney posted a 114-word response on X late Thursday that appeared to avert further escalation of trade tensions while striking a firm posture in defense of Canada's economic interests.—
Max Zahn,
ABC News,
11 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Forestall.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/forestall. Accessed 22 Jul. 2025.
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