as in to avoid
to resist the temptation of
she's old enough to make her own decisions, so we must forbear criticizing her taste in clothes
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Recent Examples of forbear
If Mamdani seems curiously forbearing toward Amin, given his own history, that has much to do with what happened next.
—
Kelefa Sanneh, New Yorker, 6 Oct. 2025
With the economy in the doldrums, the public is less forbearing.
—Jeff Kingston, Time, 4 Oct. 2025
American intervention in Latin America has often been premised on the condescending notion that the U.S. is a forbearing parent, the stable democracy tasked with maintaining order in its hemisphere.
—Carolina A. Miranda, The Atlantic, 30 June 2025
The book ends with a monologue from Bobby’s preternaturally wise and forbearing wife, Triona, who is puzzling over a dramatic plot development in the last chapter.
—Ann Levin, Boston Herald, 22 May 2025
The resulting combination spat out 349 hp and 391 lb-ft, enabling it to run roughly neck and neck with its iconic 300E 5.6 AMG forbear; Car and Driver recorded a 4.9 second 0-60 mph, and a quarter mile of 13.5 seconds at 105 mph, putting it neck-and-neck with a Porsche 911 Carrera of the day.
—Will Sabel Courtney, Robb Report, 13 Mar. 2025
As a new generation sloughed off the integrationist dreams of their Civil Rights forbears in favor of the Black Power Movement’s call for self-determination, Baraka renegotiated his position as a white literary darling and embraced a racial pride reinforced by righteous anger.
—Lovia Gyarkye, The Hollywood Reporter, 8 Mar. 2025
The Commission has never reversed a decision to forbear in this situation.
—Jon Brodkin, Ars Technica, 8 Apr. 2024
Tuesday’s proposal makes the same commitment, the people said, forbearing from 26 provisions of Title II and more than 700 other agency rules that could be seen as intrusive.
—Brian Fung, CNN, 26 Sep. 2023
Kelefa Sanneh, New Yorker, 6 Oct. 2025
With the economy in the doldrums, the public is less forbearing.
—Jeff Kingston, Time, 4 Oct. 2025
American intervention in Latin America has often been premised on the condescending notion that the U.S. is a forbearing parent, the stable democracy tasked with maintaining order in its hemisphere.
—Carolina A. Miranda, The Atlantic, 30 June 2025
The book ends with a monologue from Bobby’s preternaturally wise and forbearing wife, Triona, who is puzzling over a dramatic plot development in the last chapter.
—Ann Levin, Boston Herald, 22 May 2025
The resulting combination spat out 349 hp and 391 lb-ft, enabling it to run roughly neck and neck with its iconic 300E 5.6 AMG forbear; Car and Driver recorded a 4.9 second 0-60 mph, and a quarter mile of 13.5 seconds at 105 mph, putting it neck-and-neck with a Porsche 911 Carrera of the day.
—Will Sabel Courtney, Robb Report, 13 Mar. 2025
As a new generation sloughed off the integrationist dreams of their Civil Rights forbears in favor of the Black Power Movement’s call for self-determination, Baraka renegotiated his position as a white literary darling and embraced a racial pride reinforced by righteous anger.
—Lovia Gyarkye, The Hollywood Reporter, 8 Mar. 2025
The Commission has never reversed a decision to forbear in this situation.
—Jon Brodkin, Ars Technica, 8 Apr. 2024
Tuesday’s proposal makes the same commitment, the people said, forbearing from 26 provisions of Title II and more than 700 other agency rules that could be seen as intrusive.
—Brian Fung, CNN, 26 Sep. 2023
Recent Examples of Synonyms for forbear
avoid
Verb
-
For those affected, avoiding even trace amounts of eggs is essential, making accurate labeling critical.—
Moná Thomas,
PEOPLE,
17 Oct. 2025
-
For less hustle and bustle, busiest avoid traveling Tuesday, Wednesday and Sunday.—
Frank Witsil,
Freep.com,
17 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Forbear.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/forbear. Accessed 19 Oct. 2025.
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