forbear

1 of 3

verb

for·​bear fȯr-ˈber How to pronounce forbear (audio)
fər-
forbore fȯr-ˈbȯr How to pronounce forbear (audio)
fər-
 ; forborne fȯr-ˈbȯrn How to pronounce forbear (audio)
fər-
 ; forbearing
Synonyms of forbear

transitive verb

1
: to hold oneself back from especially with an effort
forbore mentioning the incident
tried to forbear making rash judgments
2
obsolete : to do without
3
obsolete : to leave alone : shun
… forbear his presence …—William Shakespeare

intransitive verb

1
: hold back, abstain
… have forborne from taking part in any controversy …—Abraham Lincoln
2
: to control oneself when provoked : be patient
forbore with his friend's failings
forbearer noun

forbear

2 of 3

noun (1)

for·​bear

less common spelling of forebear

: ancestor, forefather
also : precursor
—usually used in plural
His forebears fought in the American Revolution.

forbearer

3 of 3

noun (2)

for·​bear·​er
-rə(r)
plural -s
: one that forbears

Synonyms of forbear

Relevance

Verb

See All Synonyms & Antonyms in Thesaurus

Examples of forbear in a Sentence

Verb He carefully forbore any mention of her name for fear of upsetting them. We decided to forbear provoking him any further. We decided to forbear from provoking him any further. He forebore to mention her name.
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Verb
With the economy in the doldrums, the public is less forbearing. — Jeff Kingston, Time, 4 Oct. 2025 Some of the most outrageous scenes are between Stacy, who likes to act out, and her forbearing therapist (Will Arnett). — Anne Thompson, IndieWire, 4 June 2026
Noun
But new research suggests that our forbears had more varied and cosmopolitan tastes, centuries before the Guide Michelin. — Scott Simon, NPR, 14 Mar. 2026 One wistful way to follow Redford’s career is to trace the paths not taken, and to set them beside the adventurous ones pursued by his contemporaries and forbears. — Anthony Lane, New Yorker, 18 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for forbear

Word History

Etymology

Verb

Middle English forberen, from Old English forberan to endure, do without, from for- + beran to bear

First Known Use

Verb

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 2

Time Traveler
The first known use of forbear was before the 12th century

Rhymes for forbear

See All Rhymes for forbear

Browse Nearby Words

forb
forbear
forbearance
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Forbear.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/forbear. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

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Kids Definition

forbear

1 of 2 verb
for·​bear fȯr-ˈba(ə)r How to pronounce forbear (audio)
fər-, 
-ˈbe(ə)r
forbore -ˈbō(ə)r How to pronounce forbear (audio)
-ˈbȯ(ə)r
 ; forborne -ˈbō(ə)rn How to pronounce forbear (audio)
-ˈbȯ(ə)rn
 ; forbearing
1
: to hold back or keep from : abstain
2
: to be patient when annoyed
forbearer noun

forbear

2 of 2

variant of forebear

More from Merriam-Webster on forbear

Nglish: Translation of forbear for Spanish Speakers

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