1
as in patience
the capacity to endure what is difficult or disagreeable without complaining
we thank you for your forbearance while we attend to the technical difficulties interrupting the TV program
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in mercy
kind, gentle, or compassionate treatment especially towards someone who is undeserving of it
the judge showed forbearance, and gave the teenaged first offender a suspended sentence
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of forbearance
Because time spent in forbearance under SAVE does not count toward loan forgiveness, many borrowers who have already completed years of qualifying public service find themselves in uncertainty.
—
Aliss Higham, MSNBC Newsweek, 20 Aug. 2025
Those who don't switch into a new plan could be left in forbearance when the plans go into effect.
—Mia Thurow, jsonline.com, 6 Aug. 2025
Glasser and Yari then entered into a forbearance agreement, whereby Glasser would repay $250,000 immediately, plus $50,000 a month for a year, after which the full amount would come due.
—Gene Maddaus, Variety, 31 July 2025
Like many other human relationships, alliances are hard work: their management requires patience, forbearance, skill, and, like a garden, repeated tending.
—Margaret MacMillan, Foreign Affairs, 21 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for forbearance
Aliss Higham, MSNBC Newsweek, 20 Aug. 2025
Those who don't switch into a new plan could be left in forbearance when the plans go into effect.
—Mia Thurow, jsonline.com, 6 Aug. 2025
Glasser and Yari then entered into a forbearance agreement, whereby Glasser would repay $250,000 immediately, plus $50,000 a month for a year, after which the full amount would come due.
—Gene Maddaus, Variety, 31 July 2025
Like many other human relationships, alliances are hard work: their management requires patience, forbearance, skill, and, like a garden, repeated tending.
—Margaret MacMillan, Foreign Affairs, 21 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for forbearance
Recent Examples of Synonyms for forbearance
Noun
-
Trombone emphasized patience, adaptability, and learning to navigate timelines and stakeholders with other airmen pursuing innovation.—
Kapil Kajal,
Interesting Engineering,
12 Sep. 2025
-
Becoming a plant parent is also grounding, teaches patience, and creates a chance to reclaim ancestral connections to the land.—
Essence,
Essence,
12 Sep. 2025
Noun
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On paper, this one would go to Washington by a mercy-rule final score.—
Steven Louis Goldstein,
New York Times,
11 Sep. 2025
-
May their soul and the souls of all the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace.—
Megan Cartwright,
MSNBC Newsweek,
11 Sep. 2025
Noun
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In the years since its founding, the brand has shifted to a mental health and wellness destination, with apparel and initiatives geared toward positive messaging and empathy.—
Julia Teti,
Footwear News,
9 Sep. 2025
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Touch used as a form of emotional communication helps regulate stress by conveying empathy.—
Mark Travers,
Forbes.com,
9 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Forbearance.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/forbearance. Accessed 16 Sep. 2025.
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