forego

1 of 4

verb (1)

fore·​go fȯr-ˈgō 

forewent fȯr-ˈwent  ; foregone fȯr-ˈgȯn 

also -ˈgän

; foregoing fȯr-ˈgō-iŋ 

-ˈgȯ(-)iŋ

; foregoes fȯr-ˈgōz 

transitive verb

: to go before : precede

The story of his mishap forewent him.

foregoer

fȯr-ˈgō-ər 

noun

forego

2 of 4

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 profit …

—Robert Louis Stevenson

decided to forgo dessert for a few days …

2

archaic : forsake

forgo

3 of 4

verb (3)

for·​go fȯr-ˈgō 

variants or less commonly forego

forwent fȯr-ˈwent  ; forgone fȯr-ˈgȯn 

also -ˈgän

; forgoing fȯr-ˈgō-iŋ 

-ˈgȯ(-)iŋ

; forgoes

fȯr-ˈgōz

transitive verb

1

: to give up the enjoyment or advantage of : do without

… never forwent an opportunity of honest profit …

—Robert Louis Stevenson

decided to forgo dessert for a few days …

2

archaic : forsake

forgoer

fȯr-ˈgō-ər 

noun

foregoer

4 of 4

noun

fore·​go·​er -ˈgōə(r) 

: one that goes before: such as

a

obsolete : a messenger sent ahead (as a king's purveyor) : forerunner

b

: one that leads or goes in the van : example

c

: predecessor, ancestor

d

: the foreganger of a harpoon

Synonyms of forego

Verb (1)

• precede

Verb (3)

• avoid

Examples of forego in a Sentence

Verb (1)

if the sparse crowds are any indication of the public's interest in the presidential candidate, then his reputation obviously foregoes him

Verb (3)

She is planning to forgo her right to a trial and simply plead guilty.

I'll forgo dessert tonight—I'm trying to lose weight.

Recent Examples on the Web

Verb

Miraval has long encouraged guests to limit or even forego their use of digital devices as a way of enhancing awareness of one’s surroundings and allowing moments for self-reflection and personal growth. — Robb Report Studio, Robb Report, 3 June 2026

This summer is on track to be an especially hot one which means beauty aficionados who don’t want to forego their makeup routines entirely need a good primer. — Essence Wiley, InStyle, 30 May 2026

Verb

Producer Kartikeya Narayan Singh said the production team extended its environmental concerns to the shoot itself, forgoing plastic materials and running the entire operation on solar power. — Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 19 June 2026

The data may only capture some of the strain Americans are currently feeling, as the study was conducted before the expiration of Affordable Care Act (ACA) tax subsidies in early 2026 caused premiums to spike — prompting some Americans to forgo insurance. — Mary Cunningham, CBS News, 18 June 2026

Word History

Etymology

Verb (3)

Middle English, from Old English forgān to pass by, forgo, from for- + gān to go

Noun

Middle English forgoer, foregoer, from forgon + -er

First Known Use

Verb (1)

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined above

Verb (3)

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for forego

• afterglow
• akimbo
• albino
• aliquot
• allegro
• amigo
• apropos
• audio
• bungalow
• calico
• calypso
• cameo

Kids Definition

forego

1 of 2 verb

fore·​go fōr-ˈgō 

fȯr-

forewent

-ˈwent

; foregone -ˈgȯn 

also -ˈgän

; foregoing -ˈgō-iŋ 

: to go before : precede

foregoer

-ˈgō(-ə)r 

noun

forego

2 of 2

variant of forgo