Definition

A person who prevents something from happening by taking action in advance, often by buying goods before they are available to others to increase their value.

Example

The forestaller bought all the tickets before they went on sale to resell them at a higher price.

Conversation

I heard you bought a lot of stuff during the sale yesterday.

Yeah, I wanted to be a forestaller for the things I knew would sell out fast.

That makes sense! It’s smart to get things before prices go up.

Exactly! It saves money in the long run.

Synonyms & Antonyms

Root Explanation

Forestaller → It is formed from "fore-" (meaning before) and "stall" (from Old English *stallan*, meaning to stop or delay). The word "forestaller" refers to someone who stops or delays something before it happens.

Memory Tip

Think of someone who acts "before" ("fore-") something happens to "stop" ("stall") it — that's why a forestaller is someone who prevents something from occurring.

Visually Confused Words