Synonyms for forestall
Synonyms by meaning
Verb
1. Prevent — to prevent, delay or hinder something by taking precautionary or anticipatory measures; to avert
2. Anticipate
3. Engross
engross, monopolize, monopolise UK, regrate
Definitions
- v. 1
To prevent, delay or hinder something by taking precautionary or anticipatory measures; to avert.
Fred forestalled disaster by his prompt action.
- v. 2
To preclude or bar from happening, render impossible.
In French, an aspired h forestalls elision.
- v. 3
To anticipate, to act foreseeingly.
Related words
- Word family
- forestallable forestallment
Forms
- Past participle
- forestalled
e.g. forestalled → prevented, averted, hindered, precluded…
Example sentences
- prevent Eating healthfully can help prevent heart disease.
- hinder If you cannot help us, don't at least hinder us.
- avert We need to act now if we want to avert disaster.
- preclude You can be both kind and firm. One does not preclude the other.
- anticipate I didn't anticipate that there would be a problem.
- foresee No one can foresee how that result will turn out.
Popularity over time
| Word | 1850 → 2019 | Trend |
|---|---|---|
| forestall | falling | |
| prevent | steady | |
| hinder | steady | |
| avert | steady | |
| preclude | falling | |
| anticipate | steady |
Use in printed books, per decade from 1850 to 2019.
By length
- 5 letters
- avert2, tarry2, debar
- 6 letters
- forbid2, hinder2
- 7 letters
- prevent2, counter2, foresee2, engross2, regrate
- 8 letters
- preclude2
- 9 letters
- foreclose2, foretaste2
- 10 letters
- anticipate4, monopolize4, monopolise
The small number after each word is its number of syllables (avert2 = 2 syllables).