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

Another study of 27,651 adults in the United States showed that people with depression and anxiety were much more likely (two to three times) to have medical debt, which doubled their chances of delaying or forgoing mental health treatment. —Literary Hub, 6 Feb. 2026

Holly Blastic said the start date is too early for families, who might have to forgo August vacations and family time, and ending May 22 isn’t realistic for families who rely on child care because many park district programs and summer camps don’t begin until June. —Michelle Mullins, Chicago Tribune, 5 Feb. 2026

Iannaccone agreed to forgo payment of all $70,000 indefinitely, so FirstBank could be repaid. —Justin Wingerter, Denver Post, 5 Feb. 2026

Paul Anthony Kelly opted for a classic silhouette in a black suit and crisp white shirt, left unbuttoned and forgoing a tie. —Madison E. Goldberg, PEOPLE, 4 Feb. 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