forego

1 of 2

verb (1)

fore·​go fȯr-ˈgō How to pronounce forego (audio)
forewent fȯr-ˈwent How to pronounce forego (audio) ; foregone fȯr-ˈgȯn How to pronounce forego (audio)
 also  -ˈgän
; foregoing fȯr-ˈgō-iŋ How to pronounce forego (audio)
-ˈgȯ(-)iŋ

transitive verb

: to go before : precede
The story of his mishap forewent him.
foregoer noun

forego

2 of 2

verb (2)

fore·​go

less common spelling of forgo

transitive verb

1
: to give up the enjoyment or advantage of : do without
never forwent an opportunity of honest profitR. L. Stevenson
decided to forgo dessert for a few days
2
archaic : forsake

Examples of forego in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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 See More

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

First Known Use

Verb (1)

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of forego was before the 12th century

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.

Kids Definition

forego

1 of 2 verb
fore·​go fōr-ˈgō How to pronounce forego (audio)
fȯr-
forewent
-ˈwent
; foregone -ˈgȯn How to pronounce forego (audio)
 also  -ˈgän
; foregoing -ˈgō-iŋ How to pronounce forego (audio)
: to go before : precede
foregoer noun

forego

2 of 2

variant of forgo

More from Merriam-Webster on forego

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