forgo

verb

for·​go fȯr-ˈgō 

variants or less commonly forego

forwent fȯr-ˈwent  ; forgone fȯr-ˈgȯn 

 also  -ˈgän

; forgoing fȯr-ˈgō-iŋ 

-ˈgȯ(-)iŋ

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

forgoer

fȯr-ˈgō-ər 

noun

Synonyms

• abjure
• abstain (from)
• forbear
• keep (from)
• refrain (from)
• withhold (from)

Examples of forgo in a Sentence

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

Latinos, Healthcare, And The One Big Beautiful Bill Lacking health insurance coverage means people either forgo care or pay out of pocket, often resulting in substantial medical debt. —Noreen Sugrue, Forbes.com, 29 May 2025

The latest trend in garden design forgoes colorful flowers for a layered green-on-green look. —Miranda Crowell, Better Homes & Gardens, 27 May 2025

While the naked manicure trend has been reigning supreme among celebrities, Dua Lipa has forwent the current nail artless aesthetic for something altogether more starry and summer-ready. —Anna Cafolla, Vogue, 26 May 2025

The Eagles have had the most success with the play over the last few years, and Kelce’s input was apparently enough for owners to forgo approving the ban. —Ryan Gaydos, FOXNews.com, 21 May 2025

Word History

Etymology

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

First Known Use

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

Rhymes for forgo

• acknow
• aglow
• ago
• airglow
• aloe
• altho
• although
• ammo
• backflow
• backhoe
• banjo
• barbeau

Kids Definition

forgo

verb

for·​go

variants also forego

fȯr-ˈgō,

fōr-

forwent

-ˈwent

; forgone -ˈgȯn 

 also  -ˈgän

; forgoing -ˈgō-iŋ 

: to let pass

forgo an opportunity

: go without

forgo lunch