fore
stall
Third Person
forestalls
Present Participle
forestalling
Past Tense
forestalled
Past Participle
forestalled
1
to stop something from happening by acting ahead of time
- She took painkillers to forestall a migraine.
- The government raised interest rates to forestall inflation.
- Early negotiations helped forestall a potential strike.
- He apologized quickly to forestall any backlash.
- Vaccination campaigns aim to forestall outbreaks.
2
to block another person's actions by intervening before they can act
- She forestalled his argument by presenting new evidence first.
- The lawyer forestalled the opposition's motion with a counterclaim.
- He forestalled her decision by making the offer himself.
- The general forestalled the enemy's advance with a surprise maneuver.
- They forestalled competitors by launching the product early.
Synonyms: