Merriam-Webster Logo
SINCE 1828
Menu
dictionary thesaurus
1

forego

verb fore·go \ fȯr-ˈgō \
|Updated on: 12 Jun 2018
forewent play \fȯr-ˈwent\; foregone play \fȯr-ˈgȯn also -ˈgän\; foregoing play \fȯr-ˈgō-iŋ, -ˈgȯ(-)iŋ\
transitive verb
: to go before : precede
  • The story of his mishap forewent him.
—

foregoer

play \fȯr-ˈgō-ər\ noun

See forego defined for kids

First Known Use of forego

before 12th century

in the meaning defined above

See Words from the same year
NEW! Time Traveler

forego Synonyms

Synonyms

antecede, antedate, precede, predate, preexist;

Antonyms

follow, postdate, succeed;

2

forego

verb fore·go

less common spelling of

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

Phrases Related to FOREGO

Related Phrases

FOREGO Defined for Kids

forego

Learn More about forego

  1. Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for forego Spanish Central: Translation of forego Nglish: Translation of forego for Spanish speakers

Seen and Heard

What made you want to look up forego? Please tell us where you read or heard it (including the quote, if possible).

show hide

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

WORD OF THE DAY

paste

play

to beat or defeat soundly

Get Word of the Day daily email!

TRENDING NOW

  1. ideologue 'an often blindly partisan advocate or adherent of a particular ideology'

  2. socialism 'a way of organizing a society in which major industries are owned and controlled by the government'

  3. uphold 'to let stand'

  4. due process 'a course of formal proceedings (as judicial proceedings)'

  5. asylum 'protection from arrest and extradition given especially to political refugees'

SEE ALL

BROWSE DICTIONARY

forego

Test Your Vocabulary

Test Your Emoji Exceptionalism

  • test-your-emoji-exceptionalism-written-with-a-lot-of-emoji
  • What is this emoji intended to represent: 🤳
Spell It

Can you spell these 10 commonly misspelled words?

TAKE THE QUIZ
SCRABBLE® Sprint

Test Your Knowledge - and learn some interesting things along the way.

TAKE THE QUIZ

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Words at Play

Ask the Editors

Word Games