forgo

verb

for·​go fȯr-ˈgō 

variants or less commonly forego

forwent fȯr-ˈwent  ; forgone fȯr-ˈgȯn 

also -ˈgän

also foregone; forgoing fȯr-ˈgō-iŋ 

-ˈgȯ(-)iŋ

also foregoing; forgoes

fȯr-ˈgōz

also foregoes

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

That is a family that is choosing to pay for a child's medication or for food for lunch or dinner and choosing to forgo, or being forced to forgo, a rental payment. — Marissa J. Lang, NPR, 23 Sep. 2026

Choose something with rewear potential; an elopement is the perfect excuse to forgo some of the traditional pomp and circumstance in favor of a gown that feels special enough for the occasion, yet effortless enough to live a life beyond it. — Sarah Zendejas, Vogue, 23 Sep. 2026

The analysis does not provide a specific statewide dollar estimate for how much revenue local governments could forgo. — Naomi Taxay, Sacbee.com, 17 Sep. 2026

Thirty percent also reported delaying or forgoing medical care. — Megan Cerullo, CBS News, 17 Sep. 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