forewent
fȯr-ˈwent 
; foregone
fȯr-ˈgȯn
; foregone
fȯr-ˈgȯn
also -ˈgän
; foregoing
fȯr-ˈgō-iŋ
-ˈgȯ(-)iŋ
: to go before : precede
The story of his mishap forewent him.
fore·go
less common spelling of forgo
1
: to give up the enjoyment or advantage of : do without
never forwent an opportunity of honest profit—
R. L. Stevenson
R. L. Stevensondecided to forgo dessert for a few days
2
archaic
: forsake
Synonyms
Examples of forego in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the WebAimee Picchi, CBS News, 20 Sep. 2023
Lastly, Israel could achieve its first two objectives with the minimal amount of force necessary, foregoing usual heavy-handed tactics and reducing chances of escalation.
—Aaron Pilkington, Fortune, 8 Oct. 2023
Those who did not take up arms but were unwilling to emigrate or swear loyalty to the Jewish state would not be harmed, according to the plan, but would forego any hope of acquiring equal rights.
—Martin Indyk, Foreign Affairs, 2 Oct. 2023
Matthew Stoller, American Economic Liberties Project Prosecutors and Google chose to forego a jury, so judge Amit Mehta will decide who wins.
—WIRED, 21 Sep. 2023
Trump’s decision to forego the debate in favor of an interview with Carlson, a conservative commentator and close ally, is a blow to Fox News, which is hosting the first debate.
—Max Greenwood The Charlotte Observer (tns), al, 18 Aug. 2023
Or are people better off foregoing this extra security in favor of keeping their data private?
—Justin Klawans, The Week, 26 July 2023
But the new Marian McLain release foregoes any maritime adventures, and instead just focuses on the art of blending—and the resulting whiskey is quite good.
—Jonah Flicker, Robb Report, 30 Apr. 2023
But he was also allowed to forego certain procedural indignities, including being handcuffed and having his booking photo taken.
—Globe Staff, BostonGlobe.com, 15 Aug. 2023
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Verb
Some homeowners in regions with a higher risk of climate disasters are taking things a step farther by foregoing disaster insurance altogether.
—Aimee Picchi, CBS News, 20 Sep. 2023
Lastly, Israel could achieve its first two objectives with the minimal amount of force necessary, foregoing usual heavy-handed tactics and reducing chances of escalation.
—Aaron Pilkington, Fortune, 8 Oct. 2023
Those who did not take up arms but were unwilling to emigrate or swear loyalty to the Jewish state would not be harmed, according to the plan, but would forego any hope of acquiring equal rights.
—Martin Indyk, Foreign Affairs, 2 Oct. 2023
Matthew Stoller, American Economic Liberties Project Prosecutors and Google chose to forego a jury, so judge Amit Mehta will decide who wins.
—WIRED, 21 Sep. 2023
Trump’s decision to forego the debate in favor of an interview with Carlson, a conservative commentator and close ally, is a blow to Fox News, which is hosting the first debate.
—Max Greenwood The Charlotte Observer (tns), al, 18 Aug. 2023
Or are people better off foregoing this extra security in favor of keeping their data private?
—Justin Klawans, The Week, 26 July 2023
But the new Marian McLain release foregoes any maritime adventures, and instead just focuses on the art of blending—and the resulting whiskey is quite good.
—Jonah Flicker, Robb Report, 30 Apr. 2023
But he was also allowed to forego certain procedural indignities, including being handcuffed and having his booking photo taken.
—Globe Staff, BostonGlobe.com, 15 Aug. 2023
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These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'forego.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
Time Traveler
The first known use of forego was
before the 12th century
Articles Related to forego
Dictionary Entries Near forego
Cite this Entry
“Forego.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/forego. Accessed 7 Dec. 2023.
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