forestalls

verb

present tense third-person singular of forestall
as in prevents
to keep from happening by taking action in advance you can often forestall skidding on the ice simply by driving more slowly

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of forestalls Grant asks Chris about the boxing gloves now for sale in the night store, but Katie forestalls him by running over and grabbing them, nearly flattening Chris. — Tasha Robinson, Vulture, 16 June 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for forestalls
  1. prevents
  2. averts
Verb
  • Justices Elena Kagan, Ketanji Brown Jackson, and Sonia Sotomayor dissented, arguing that allowing the case to move forward prevents the lower court from considering Pike’s allegations from her childhood.
    — Claire Carter, The Washington Examiner, 1 Oct. 2026
  • Newsom signed a similar bill that prevents federal agents from becoming police in California if their federal badge was revoked for misconduct.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 1 Oct. 2026
Definition of prevents
Verb
  • At every save point, the game forces James to stare at his reflection, and after the story’s plot twist, James averts his eyes, unable to face his own guilt.
    — Zackery Cuevas, PC Magazine, 21 Sep. 2026
  • The author's experience shows caution, though slower, averts problems, contrasting with industry's rapid deployments that often encounter issues.
    — Shannon McKeen, Forbes.com, 29 June 2026
Definition of averts

Browse Nearby Words

forestallment
forestalls
forester
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Cite this Entry

“Forestalls.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/forestalls. Accessed 10 Oct. 2026.

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