forge

noun

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\ ˈfȯrj

Definition of forge

(Entry 1 of 3)

1 : a furnace or a shop with its furnace where metal is heated and wrought : smithy

2 : a workshop where wrought iron is produced or where iron is made malleable

forge

verb (1)

forged; forging

Definition of forge (Entry 2 of 3)

transitive verb

1a : to form (something, such as metal) by heating and hammering forged pieces of iron into hooks

b : to form (metal) by a mechanical or hydraulic press with or without heat

2 : to make or imitate falsely especially with intent to defraud : counterfeit forge a document forge a signature

3 : to form or bring into being especially by an expenditure of effort working to forge party unity The two countries forged a strong alliance.

intransitive verb

1 : to work at a forge

2 : to commit forgery (see forgery sense 3)

forge

verb (2)

forged; forging

Definition of forge (Entry 3 of 3)

intransitive verb

1 : to move forward slowly and steadily the ship forged ahead through heavy seas

2 : to move with a sudden increase of speed and power forged into the lead forged ahead in marketing the product

Other Words from forge Synonyms & Antonyms Are "forging ahead" and "forging a check" from the same forge? More Example Sentences Learn More about forge

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Are "forging ahead" and "forging a check" from the same forge?

There are many things you can do with the word forge in English. You can forge ahead (which, confusingly enough, can mean either "move slowly and steadily" or "move with a sudden increase of speed"), you can forge a check or a painting (make something fake), or you can forge a sword (make something real). The senses that relate to creating something (either real or fake) come from the same Latin word that gives us fabric, which is fabricare ("to fashion, construct"). We are not certain where the “movement” senses of forge come from, except insofar as we know that they are from a different origin than the “creation” senses of the word.

Examples of forge in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web: Noun For the first time, judges Ben Abbott, J. Neilson and David Baker are thrown into the fire for a grueling home forge battle. — Washington Post, "What to watch on Wednesday: ‘Best Leftovers Ever!’ on Netflix," 30 Dec. 2020 At his local forge, Vaughn made impressions of the original hands in casting sand and poured molten pewter into molds. — Jesse Leavenworth, courant.com, "Plymouth man’s handmade Christmas ornaments celebrate Connecticut’s clockmaking past," 19 Dec. 2020 Undaunted, the pair assume their species’ pseudocopulation position and forge ahead with spawning. — Emily Willingham, Scientific American, "When Same-Sex Mating Makes Reproductive Sense," 3 Dec. 2020 Outside are lawns, woods, two guest cottages, and a 19th-century forge. — TheWeek, "6 homes with beautiful bedrooms," 14 Nov. 2020 Children in costumes and their families can stroll through the Settlement campus to collect treats at the historic buildings, visit Pumpkin Lane or watch the blacksmith work at his forge, a news release said. — chicagotribune.com, "Naperville News Digest: Naper Settlement offering Halloween trick-or-treating; Van Buren parking deck work starting; new Honors Rewards program for vets," 20 Oct. 2020 Company founder Eliphalet Remington started making flintlock rifles on his father's forge near here in 1816, and the Ilion factory site dates to 1828. — Michael Hill, Star Tribune, "Town built on guns ponders future after Remington plant sale," 1 Nov. 2020 There has been growing frustration that despite widespread bipartisan support for extending the payroll support program, Congress has been unable forge an agreement. — Washington Post, "Push for stand-alone airline aid bill intensifies after talks collapse for broader coronavirus relief," 7 Oct. 2020 The Warriors excused Stephen Curry and Draymond Green from participating for family reasons, depriving that team the chance to bond and forge chemistry with the two stars. — Mark Medina, USA TODAY, "What NBA lottery teams are hoping to accomplish during their voluntary two-week minicamps," 27 Sep. 2020 Recent Examples on the Web: Verb After riding James to their first title together, the Lakers can forge a second title only by treating him in the opposite manner. — Houston Mitchell Assistant Sports Editor, Los Angeles Times, "The Sports Report: Time for the Lakers to bench LeBron James?," 8 Dec. 2020 But a 2019 study from researchers at Oregon State University's College of Agricultural Sciences published in the journal Current Biology, indicates that like children and dogs, cats forge a similar attachment to the humans raising them. — Perri Ormont Blumberg, Southern Living, "Study Shows Cats May Love Their Pet Parents More Than We Thought," 21 Dec. 2020 The left has always had to forge a path through a political world not of its own making. — Isabel Cristo, The New Republic, "The Bernie Organizers Who Want to Elect Biden—Then Defeat Him," 23 Oct. 2020 Miko Marks, however, was an up-and-coming artist trying to forge her own purely country music path around the early 2000s. — Olivia Roos, NBC News, "Country music's reckoning: Black women forge their own path in whitewashed industry," 16 Oct. 2020 To help forge relationships, new managers should go on a listening tour. — Kathryn Vasel, CNN, "Here's how to manage people you've never even met," 3 Dec. 2020 The growth of storage going forward, Wood Mackenzie projects, could be set depending on if Biden can forge a compromise with Congress on a standalone investment tax credit, which has bipartisan support. — Josh Siegel, Washington Examiner, "Daily on Energy, presented by API: Industry trade groups face pressure on climate as companies prep for Biden," 3 Dec. 2020 Instead, power and respect accrued to those who could forge deals among legislators with sharply divergent views. — Karl W. Smith Bloomberg Opinion (tns), Star Tribune, "Biden, like Trump, is a deal maker. Good deal.," 1 Dec. 2020 Holly can’t wait to add more pieces to the puzzle and thinks Racing Louisville offers an excellent opportunity to forge another exciting chapter for soccer in the city. — Jonathan Saxon, The Courier-Journal, "Racing Louisville FC picks up 2 forwards, the first players to join the team," 26 Oct. 2020 Recent Examples on the Web: Verb His fight against Smith was promoted by Matchroom Boxing and streamed on DAZN, and all parties are prepared to forge a new path together, at least on a fight-by-fight basis. — Manouk Akopyan, Los Angeles Times, "Canelo Alvarez expected to fight Avni Yildirim on Feb. 27 in homecoming bout in Mexico," 26 Dec. 2020 But a 2019 study from researchers at Oregon State University's College of Agricultural Sciences published in the journal Current Biology, indicates that like children and dogs, cats forge a similar attachment to the humans raising them. — Perri Ormont Blumberg, Southern Living, "Study Shows Cats May Love Their Pet Parents More Than We Thought," 21 Dec. 2020 In the 1970s, Anya Phillips left Taiwan to forge a fashion career in New York City, showing up in a burgeoning downtown punk scene in what would become her signature dress, an eye-catching piece made of electric blue spandex that laced up the front. — Julie Hoangmy Ho, New York Times, "Overlooked No More: Anya Phillips, Fashion Influencer in New York’s Punk Scene," 12 Nov. 2020 Better to forge on with Haskins, the potential long-term answer, taking valuable reps. — Mike Jones, USA TODAY, "Opinion: In pursuit of 'short-term glory,' Ron Rivera falls into familiar trap for Washington by benching Dwayne Haskins," 8 Oct. 2020 Distraught to be leaving Alaska, Stewart was determined to forge her own path. — Anchorage Daily News, "Her stepfather admitted to sexually abusing her. That wasn’t enough to keep her safe.," 18 Sep. 2020 In a year marked by isolation, our photojournalism team helped readers to forge connections with the broader world. — Alfredo Sosa, The Christian Science Monitor, "Soft focus on 2020: Finding humanity in a year of isolation (video)," 23 Dec. 2020 The Heat responded with 10 of the next 13 points to forge a 74-74 tie on a 3 by Robinson. — Roy Parry, orlandosentinel.com, "Evan Fournier leads Magic to season-opening win over Heat," 23 Dec. 2020 On Monday, hundreds of Israelis attended a business conference in Dubai to forge new relationships in a fast-growing market for one of Israel’s top exports: technology. — Felicia Schwartz, WSJ, "Israelis Flock to the Gulf, Undeterred by Government Warning of Iranian Attacks," 11 Dec. 2020

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'forge.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

History and Etymology for forge

Noun

Middle English, "smith's workshop," borrowed from Anglo-French, going back to Gallo-Romance *faurga, going back to Latin fabrica "process of making something, craft, workshop" — more at fabric

Verb (1)

Middle English forgen "to form, shape (metal by heat), invent, contrive, counterfeit," borrowed from Anglo-French forger, forgier, going back to Latin fabricāre, fabricārī "to fashion, shape, construct" — more at fabricate

Verb (2)

origin unknown

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