FORGET Synonyms: 86 Similar and Opposite Words

Q: How is the word 'forget' distinct from other similar verbs?

Some common synonyms of forget are disregard , ignore , neglect , overlook , and slight . While all these words mean "to pass over without giving due attention," forget may suggest either a willful ignoring or a failure to impress something on one's mind. // forget what others say

Q: When can 'disregard' be used instead of 'forget'?

While in some cases nearly identical to forget , disregard suggests voluntary inattention. // disregarded the wishes of his family

Q: When could 'ignore' be used to replace 'forget'?

The words ignore and forget can be used in similar contexts, but ignore implies a failure to regard something obvious. // ignored the snide remark

Q: When might 'neglect' be a better fit than 'forget'?

In some situations, the words neglect and forget are roughly equivalent. However, neglect implies giving insufficient attention to something that merits one's attention. // habitually neglected his studies

Q: When would 'overlook' be a good substitute for 'forget'?

Although the words overlook and forget have much in common, overlook suggests disregarding or ignoring through haste or lack of care. // in my rush I overlooked a key example

Q: Where would 'slight' be a reasonable alternative to 'forget'?

The synonyms slight and forget are sometimes interchangeable, but slight implies contemptuous or disdainful disregarding or omitting. // slighted several major authors in her survey

forget

verb

fər-ˈget

Definition of forget

as in to miss

to be unable to recall or think of I forget exactly on which street that the house is

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in to ignore

to fail to give proper attention to she promised not to forget her high school friends after she went off to college

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in to neglect

to leave undone or unattended to especially through carelessness he forgot the pot boiling on the stove

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in to fail

to miss the opportunity or obligation I forgot to call on his birthday

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

How is the word forget distinct from other similar verbs?

Some common synonyms of forget are disregard, ignore, neglect, overlook, and slight. While all these words mean "to pass over without giving due attention," forget may suggest either a willful ignoring or a failure to impress something on one's mind.

forget what others say

When can disregard be used instead of forget?

While in some cases nearly identical to forget, disregard suggests voluntary inattention.

disregarded the wishes of his family

When could ignore be used to replace forget?

The words ignore and forget can be used in similar contexts, but ignore implies a failure to regard something obvious.

ignored the snide remark

When might neglect be a better fit than forget?

In some situations, the words neglect and forget are roughly equivalent. However, neglect implies giving insufficient attention to something that merits one's attention.

habitually neglected his studies

When would overlook be a good substitute for forget?

Although the words overlook and forget have much in common, overlook suggests disregarding or ignoring through haste or lack of care.

in my rush I overlooked a key example

Where would slight be a reasonable alternative to forget?

The synonyms slight and forget are sometimes interchangeable, but slight implies contemptuous or disdainful disregarding or omitting.

slighted several major authors in her survey

Example Sentences

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.

Recent Examples of forget Owners of original Atari software aren't entirely forgotten, either. — New Atlas, 20 Oct. 2026 But, as Amazon’s logline intones, his dark past has not forgotten him. — Borys Kit, HollywoodReporter, 20 Oct. 2026 Or to weather an economic emergency, or to stop modern slavery, or to combat unfair trade, or to stick it to a country that forgot to send the president a birthday gift. — Matthew Lynn, Washington Post, 19 Oct. 2026 Don’t forget the sleek black shades and pointed pumps, either. — Christian Allaire, Vogue, 19 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for forget

Recent Examples of Synonyms for forget

Verb

Last month, Pennsylvania’s Public Utility Commission reported that the largest grid in the country will miss its reliability standard starting next year.

— Neil Chatterjee, Fortune, 23 Oct. 2026
Not only were LaMelo Ball and Miles Bridges absent after high-profile summertime trades, but returnees Kon Knueppel and Coby White were also missing because of injury.

— Scott Fowler, Charlotte Observer, 22 Oct. 2026

Definition of miss

Verb

City officials compiled the information after Nelson raised concerns that older neighborhoods had been neglected in favor of newer parts of Roseville.

— Nicole Buss, Sacbee.com, 23 Oct. 2026
An Overland Park mother who authorities charged with murder in the 2023 death of her 1-year-old child, alleging the toddler was malnourished and neglected, has pleaded no contest to a group of charges.

— Nathan Pilling, Kansas City Star, 23 Oct. 2026

Definition of neglect

Verb

Because Tesla’s bylaws count abstentions as votes against, the measure failed, Bloomberg reported.

— Heather Occhino, Fortune, 21 Oct. 2026
In its ruling, the court said the parent group had failed to show Asian American students were harmed, because they were still being admitted at higher rates than the applicant pool.

— Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 21 Oct. 2026

Definition of fail

Verb

Meta Platforms, which is pushing its Muse AI agent, lost 7% after reporting stronger revenue for the latest quarter than analysts expected, though its profit fell short.

— Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 23 Oct. 2026
The distance between pilot and production is where a lot of companies are losing footing.

— Chris Koehler, Fortune, 23 Oct. 2026

Definition of lose

Verb

The most egregious perpetrators of fraud in the industry were corrupt doctors who were paid by patients to send insurance companies medical examination reports that omitted unfavorable findings.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 20 Oct. 2026
Some late nights are inevitable — emergency operations, sick patients, and complicated care transitions are a fundamental part of training that should not be omitted.

— Arifeen Rahman, STAT, 20 Oct. 2026

Definition of omit

Browse Nearby Words

forges

forget

forgetful

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Style

“Forget.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/forget. Accessed 27 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of forget

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Synonyms of forget

verb

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