forgo

verb

for·​go fȯr-ˈgō 

variants or less commonly forego

forwent fȯr-ˈwent  ; forgone fȯr-ˈgȯn 

 also  -ˈgän

; forgoing fȯr-ˈgō-iŋ 

-ˈgȯ(-)iŋ

transitive verb

1

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

never forwent an opportunity of honest profit

—R. L. Stevenson

decided to forgo dessert for a few days

2

archaic : forsake

forgoer

fȯr-ˈgō-ər 

noun

Synonyms

• avoid

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

In order to stay small, many multitools forgo certain functions for others. —New Atlas, 27 Aug. 2025

On this mission, SpaceX intentionally guided the Super Heavy booster toward a location in the Gulf of Mexico just offshore from Starbase, forgoing another attempt to catch the rocket back at the launch pad. —Stephen Clark, ArsTechnica, 27 Aug. 2025

Advocates are also pushing for state-level protections, which can provide some recourse for students who choose to forgo Title IX and pursue outside legal action, Levine said. —Lauren Mascarenhas, CNN Money, 27 Aug. 2025

Look To Autobiography Or SV For More Luxury The SE Long Wheelbase edition of the Range Rover is clearly designed for families who want the minimalist and elegant Range Rover experience but are willing to forgo other goodies. —Scotty Reiss, Forbes.com, 25 Aug. 2025

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

Rhymes for forgo

• acknow
• aglow
• ago
• airglow
• aloe
• altho
• although
• ammo
• backflow
• backhoe
• banjo
• barbeau

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