forgo

verb

for·go fȯr-ˈgō

variants or less commonly forego

forwent fȯr-ˈwent ; forgone fȯr-ˈgȯn

also -ˈgän

also foregone; forgoing fȯr-ˈgō-iŋ

-ˈgȯ(-)iŋ

also foregoing; forgoes

fȯr-ˈgōz

also foregoes

Synonyms of forgo

transitive verb

: to give up the enjoyment or advantage of : do without

… never forwent an opportunity of honest profit …—Robert Louis Stevenson

decided to forgo dessert for a few days …

archaic : forsake

forgoer

fȯr-ˈgō-ər

noun

Examples of forgo in a Sentence

She is planning to forgo her right to a trial and simply plead guilty. I'll forgo dessert tonight—I'm trying to lose weight.

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.

But Alexander Ruiz, the chief operating officer of South Florida developer and property manager Prestige Companies, isn’t so sure that local governments would forgo property tax increases. — Max Klaver, Miami Herald, 28 Oct. 2026 Rancho Cordova would forgo some fees and cover others by transferring money from its general fund to other city accounts. — Sacbee.com, 27 Oct. 2026 Per Dermaspa’s website, Xerf forgoes injections and uses radio-frequency technology to tighten the skin and renew collagen. — Zack Sharf, Variety, 27 Oct. 2026 In the end, a title card reveals that Evans decided to forgo compensation. — Los Angeles Times, 26 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for forgo

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Old English forgān to pass by, forgo, from for- + gān to go

First Known Use

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler

The first known use of forgo was before the 12th century

See more words from the same century

Browse Nearby Words

forgiving

forgo

forgoer

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Cite this Entry

Style

“Forgo.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/forgo. Accessed 1 Nov. 2026.

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Kids Definition

forgo

verb

for·go

variants also forego

fȯr-ˈgō,

fōr-

forwent

-ˈwent

; forgone -ˈgȯn

also -ˈgän

; forgoing -ˈgō-iŋ

: to let pass

forgo an opportunity

: go without

forgo lunch

forgo

verb

Synonyms of forgo

Examples of forgo in a Sentence

Word History

Browse Nearby Words

'Forego' vs. 'Forgo': The E Is Important

Cite this Entry

Kids Definition

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forgo

verb

Synonyms of forgo

Examples of forgo in a Sentence

Word History

Rhymes for forgo

Browse Nearby Words

Articles Related to forgo

'Forego' vs. 'Forgo': The E Is Important

Cite this Entry

Kids Definition

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