as in preventing
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 forestalling
By some interpretations, the fawner resembles Scheherazade, forestalling death through creative feats that appease the men around her.
—
Katy Waldman, New Yorker, 12 Jan. 2026
Phased retirement can also help companies to manage the consequences of the looming workforce contraction by forestalling brain drain and smoothing succession planning — all while preserving the institutional knowledge and relationships that help companies thrive.
—Mary Moreland, Fortune, 31 Dec. 2025
Impressive as that is, though, forestalling a hostage situation is not really in her wheelhouse, and Nolan grabs Summerville’s gun, kicking out Elsbeth and Summerville while trapping the store’s staff and one customer.
—Sophie Brookover, Vulture, 17 Oct. 2025
Those efforts were defensive, aimed at forestalling oversight that might slow growth.
—Paulo Carvão, Forbes.com, 3 Sep. 2025
Could see the futility of forestalling the harmful acts of an addict.
—Steven Zeitchik, HollywoodReporter, 3 Sep. 2019
Katy Waldman, New Yorker, 12 Jan. 2026
Phased retirement can also help companies to manage the consequences of the looming workforce contraction by forestalling brain drain and smoothing succession planning — all while preserving the institutional knowledge and relationships that help companies thrive.
—Mary Moreland, Fortune, 31 Dec. 2025
Impressive as that is, though, forestalling a hostage situation is not really in her wheelhouse, and Nolan grabs Summerville’s gun, kicking out Elsbeth and Summerville while trapping the store’s staff and one customer.
—Sophie Brookover, Vulture, 17 Oct. 2025
Those efforts were defensive, aimed at forestalling oversight that might slow growth.
—Paulo Carvão, Forbes.com, 3 Sep. 2025
Could see the futility of forestalling the harmful acts of an addict.
—Steven Zeitchik, HollywoodReporter, 3 Sep. 2019
Recent Examples of Synonyms for forestalling
Verb
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Fiber slows digestion, preventing sharp glucose spikes while delivering antioxidants that protect brain cells.—
Deirdre Bardolf,
FOXNews.com,
11 Feb. 2026
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Coronary heart disease occurs when fatty deposits called plaque build up in the heart’s arteries, preventing them from delivering oxygen-rich blood to the heart muscle.—
Barbara Mantel,
NBC news,
11 Feb. 2026
Verb
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The comments were part of a surge in diplomacy aimed at averting conflict; Qatar’s prime minister visited Tehran, while a senior Iranian official traveled to Moscow.—
semafor.com,
semafor.com,
3 Feb. 2026
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The agreement is intended to give lawmakers more time to address Democratic demands to curb ICE tactics while averting a partial government shutdown.—
Ana Ceballos,
Los Angeles Times,
30 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Forestalling.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/forestalling. Accessed 15 Feb. 2026.
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