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

; 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

Synonyms of forgo

• avoid

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

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

Sadly, Trump’s inability to forgo immediate fulfillment is as pronounced an aspect of his personality as his megalomania. —Jonathan Chait, The Atlantic, 16 June 2026

This extends to the series as well, which, refreshingly, forgoes the usual guns and gore for a more wholesome, cerebral, and darkly comedic take on the genre. —Matt Cabral, Entertainment Weekly, 15 June 2026

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