Meaning & use
forestall
To prevent an event or action by taking action in advance.
See it in a sentence
The company forestalled criticism by publishing its safety report before reporters could ask questions.
She forestalled the argument by apologizing before her sister could even bring up the mistake.
A note on using this word
Forestall implies acting early and deliberately to stop something from happening, unlike "prevent," which is more general.
Words with a similar meaning
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